Page 187 of Ink Deep Devotion

“I want to give you something, Dash.” He begins.

I meet his blue eyes. They look sad even as his smile tries to tug up. It’s like he’s about to release a massive weight that will help me stay afloat, but he’s going to sink. I can feel it. Then he begins to speak; I listen as he makes another sacrifice for me.

Something I don’t deserve.

“I’m not asking, Dash. This is an order. You will do this once you have Mila back.” He states firmly. For the first time since he took the seat of power, he actually resembles the ruler that the Rites of Passages need in order to survive.

He istheking, and I am his subject who must obey.

Chapter 68

Mila

Cillian pushes me to the ground and covers me. No hesitation or shock.His weight feels like a boulder; it’s crushing me and forcing me to become part of the pavement.

I tried to wiggle free. I want to switch places. This is my fault. I deserve to take the bullets, not him. It was me who ran, not Cillian.

I don’t know how Cillian does it; he covers me, shoots back, all while he’s moving, crawling with me closer and closer to the car, like I’m a kangaroo in his pouch.

“Let me help!” I scream, but the sound of gunfire claims my cries.

Suddenly, Cillian picks me up and shoves me into the SUV. He turns, firing off his gun, as he shoves himself inside and slams the door shut.

Silence. The thick bulletproof glass of his car makes the outside feel like a nightmare I just woke from.“Go!” Cillian slaps the driver’s seat.

Jerk!I slide forward, but strong arms slam me back into the seat, and then the seatbelt is placed over me.

“Are you hurt?” It’s the first time Cillian sounds panicked.

“No.”

Cillian grabs his phone.“We’re under attack. Change your flight. They knew we were coming. Yeah, I’m…”

The bullets hitting the window are louder. Bigger! I stare at the glass, wondering if it will hold as the cars behind us begin to chase.Crash!One of Cillian’s SUVs filled with his men diverts and plows into the car on our tail.

“I’ll call once we’re safe,” Cillian shouts, then drops the phone. He sounds confident.

“She’s going to kill me,” I mutter.

“They were aiming for me, not you, Mila. I think you were bait.”

I hang my head.“I think you’re right.” I viewed Camilla as a pawn I could use, bleed information from. But she used me as her bait. She was waiting till I ran, hoping she would catch a king.

“It’s not your fault.”

It is.

“Hey,” Cillian tugs me closer to his side, testing the limit of the seatbelt as he hugs me.“I would die for you happily. You’re part of my family. We have a lot of issues to work out. We all made mistakes, but we’re going to be together again. That’s all that matters.”

???

There are so many people with guns and weapons; they all dip their heads as I pass like I’m a queen. We drove until we reached a private airstrip, got on a private plane, and flew back to Cillian’s castle in Ireland. Literally a castle. On the way home, I told Cillian everything, every detail. Then he led me to a room and told me Dash would be here soon.

A maid came and placed fresh clothes on the bed. She showed me the bathroom, but I was too scared to move. I knew I should shower and try to wash away everything I had done.

Instead, I sit on the edge of the bed, staring at the door. What am I going to say to Dash?

Then it happens. Footsteps come rushing down the hall. I stand and sway. I’m going to pass out before I see him.

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