Page 25 of Theirs to Rule

Ty's response was a cold splash of reality. "That's your problem," he said, his voice hard. "I've got my own shit to focus on."

His words felt like a slap, the dismissal stinging more than I cared to admit. The sexual tension that always simmered between us, a dangerous undercurrent to our every interaction, suddenly felt like a distant memory, overshadowed by the widening chasm of misunderstanding and hurt. He wrenched his arm out of my grip and stalked out of the kitchen.

With Ty gone, the gaping hole left in the chateau was more than I could take. I paced the living room, eyes on the front door, praying Ty would come back so we could talk, and I could admit that I didn’treallysee him as a murderer or a thief – but he was done with me. And rightly so. After what I said to him, why would he ever come back?

After what felt like a lifetime in that clutching silence, I gave in to the urge to do something stupid: call the hospital where Kage was staying. It was only then that I realized I didn’t have my phone. I hadn’t seen it since the car chase with Davis. It was probably in the wreckage of the Bugatti. I guess that meant Dante wouldn’t be able to track me after all.

Maybe I should go to the hospital. I could sneak in and see for myself how Kage was when he was alone. Or maybe he’d be awake, and we could talk. I could accuse and he could somehow make things right. He’d tell me he wasn’t engaged.

That would be a good start...

But I knew I wasn’t being realistic. I’d seen the ring on Daniella’s finger myself. I’d heard his mom straight up say he was engaged. Everything between us had been a lie. Just like hismother said, I was just a distraction, a plaything to occupy him until he returned to the mafia life—and the girl—waiting for him.

I couldn’t stay here, in this house filled with so many memories of Kage. I decided to clear my head on campus but realized all too quickly that it was a mistake. As had happened after Ava drowned, I was the focus of unwanted and often hostile attention.

"Poor Kage," I overheard, a female voice laced with a venom that made my skin crawl. "What does she have against his family? Before too long, they’ll all be dead."

The comment was like a dagger slicing through me. I wanted to turn around and scream that I loved Kage and he loved me. That we’d whispered those words to each other when we didn’t know if we would make it out of the car alive.

I quickened my pace, trying to outrun the whispers, ready to head back to the chateau.

I bumped into someone and was suddenly shoved back so hard I lost my balance and sprawled on the ground. Standing over me was Phillip Hermes, the same guy who’d knocked out Kage with a dirty punch to the back of the head on fight night, but of course he hadn't been expelled because the fights were illegal, and no one pressed charges.

My eyes widened when I realized Phillip was wearing an eye patch and that a nasty scar ran from under the patch down his cheek. Was that how Kage and Callum had "taken care of" Phillip after Kage recovered? Had they taken hiseye?

"That's right, bitch. This is what Kage did, and now he's lying in a hospital close to death."

I glared at him and jumped to my feet. "Looks like you didn't learn your lesson, Hermes."

"Because I'm hassling you? From what I hear, you're nothing but a plaything to Kage. Plus, if he somehow makes it back here alive, he'll stay clear of you. Ava and Silas are dead. Kage mightnot be yet, but if he hangs out long enough with you, it will happen."

He pushed my shoulder, sending me stumbling back. I got into a fighting stance despite knowing I probably wouldn't win.

He reached out to push me again, but before he could, Ty was there, grabbing Phillip's arm and flipping him to the ground. Students around us gasped and cheered. “Fight! Fight! Fight!”

I rushed to Ty and pulled at him, but he shook me off.

“Let’s go, Ty!”

He ignored me.

Phillip got to his feet and Ty shoved me back just as Phillip threw a punch. Ty blocked it, his arm absorbing the impact. He countered with a swift jab to the ribs, followed by a right hook that sent Phillip staggering back. Blood trickled from his nose, but he didn’t back down. He lunged at Ty, aiming a wild punch at his head.

Ty ducked, his reflexes sharp. He landed a solid kick to Phillip’s midsection, doubling him over. But he recovered quickly, grabbing Ty by the shoulders and slamming him into the side of a nearby building.

I watched in horror as they grappled, their movements a blur of fists and feet. Ty managed to break free, landing a series of rapid punches that had Phillip stumbling back. Ty seized the opportunity, launching himself at Phillip. They went down in a tangle of limbs, rolling across the floor. Ty’s fist pounded into Phillip’s face, his sides, his gut. Blood splattered, the sounds of impact echoing through the room.

Finally, with one brutal punch, Ty knocked Phillip out cold. Chest heaving, he stood over Phillip’s unconscious body, blood dripping from his knuckles. Bending over, he ripped Phillip's eye patch off, and I flinched at the gnarled scar tissue where his eye used to be. "Take a good, hard look, fuckers. If you don't want this to happen to you, stay the fuck away from Camille Parelli."

I just stood there stunned, unable to reconcile how he'd acted earlier at the chateau and how he'd come to my rescue just now. Ty turned, strode to me, grabbed my arm, and started dragging me away.

I was silent for a long time before I finally said, "You didn’t have to do that, but thank you,” I said.

He abruptly released me. “Don’t thank me! Do you think Iwantto have to come to your fucking rescue?”

I scowled at him. “Then why did you?”

His mouth opened and shut then he ran his hands through his hair. “Fuck if I know. Maybe I just hate bullies more than I dislike you right now.”

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