Page 114 of Tyrant

“This isn’t ideal for a meeting like this,” Luc says. “But I have approval. Considering the circumstances of Tyrant’s health.”

“I’m fucking fine,” I say. “Takes more than stabbing me in the back to take me down.”

I can’t attack Des—yet—so I spit at him. My thick spit hits just under his left eye.

“I fucking left,” Des says in a slurred voice. “I didn’t do it, Ty.”

“Then why are you here?”

“Answer him,” Luc says. “Your life hangs in the balance right now, Destroy.”

“Hangs?” I growl. “I’m fucking killing him with my bare hands.”

“I’m not talking then,” Des says. “You want to fucking kill me? Then kill me.”

Des smiles. There’s blood everywhere. This guy’s tough. Insane. He’s smart too.

“If you kill me, you’ll never know,” Des says.

“Your fate will be decided elsewhere,” Luc says.

“The fuck it will,” I growl. “Why is he here like this?”

Luc looks at me. “Because I believe you. We have no evidence of what’s been suggested. But I believe you. I told thelegionthe same.”

What the fuck is this? Some kind of brother moment or something here? All of a sudden Luc wants to be in my corner.

“He fucking drugged her at the party,” I say. “If it wasn’t him, then it was Mac. Did you beat the fucking shit out of Mac?”

“No, I didn’t,” Luc says.

He looks at Des again.

So do I. “You motherfucker. You set this up. For what? You don’t want to marry her?”

Des chuckles. “Oh, I can’t wait to marry her. I’m going to fuck her senseless. And I know she’ll think of you the entire time. I can’t wait to make her stare at me. I can’t wait to watch her cry as I fucking force my cock into her cunt. Her mouth. Her ass.”

I lunge for the bed and Luc orders me to be taken down. One of the masked men gives me a fucking jolt that drops me to the floor. I grab for the bed and don’t give a fuck about pain. There’s blood all over my back. My body is now jittery.

The other masked man grabs Des’s hair and pulls. He then places a knife to Des’s throat.

“It’s over now, Destroy,” Luc says.

“You’ll never find her,” Des says. “You need me alive. I want a deal right now. Life for life! Fucking life for life!”

He’s almost screeching. I climb back to my feet.

“Life for life,” Des says. “We shake and it’s in stone. In fucking stone between all of us. I did not do this to her, Tyrant. And I did not attack you. You have my fucking word.”

“Why the fuck do I want your word?”

“Because I know more than you do. I know more than Luc does. I’m the only voice of reason in this fucking room.”

I grit my teeth. I feel my chin quiver. There’s emotion inside my soul I’ve never felt before.

“You will not take her as your wife,” I growl. “You will relinquish the proposal. Whatever the punishment is, you face it.” I swallow hard. I can’t believe what the fuck I’m about to say. “Your life…”

“Say it, Tyrant,” Des says.

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