Page 32 of Court of Evil

“Don’t worry, I can take care of myself or find someone else to.” I step from the shower, and undoing the sodden robe, I drop it to the floor with a wet squelch, then I walk naked from his bathroom, feeling his eyes on me the entire time.

CHAPTER 15

Iknow Tate is pissed, so I give her space. She’ll work it out on her own and realise I’m right. I’m not trying to stop her. In fact, I want the same thing she does—all the corrupt hunters dead—but I want to make sure she survives it.

Leaning back in my bed, I check my cameras on my phone, seeing her in the gym, the fae watching. I suppose it should worry me, but if she can sway him to her side, then that would be a whole lot of power at her back. I witnessed that power first-hand, and fae are territorial and possessive. If anyone tried to hurt what they consider theirs, then they would burn the world.

She needs him, which means she needs to win him over, so I give her space to do just that.

“Spying on her as usual.” Shutting my phone, I lay it on the side table and slip farther into my sheets, ignoring Ronan, who bounces onto my bed next to me. “Does she know how often you watch her? Do you think she would find it creepy?”

“As creepy as you watching her?” I retort, arching a brow at him.

“Ah, but I was following orders.” He winks.

I smirk. “Even when she was showering?”

“Don’t tell her that. She’ll find a way to kill me.” He sighs wistfully, making me chuckle, but then he turns serious. “I’m going to go with her. I’m going to be part of her team.”

That makes me sit up, and he copies my movement, seeing my confusion. Ronan has been with me since . . . well, since forever. I might have sent the others to watch the other towers, but Ronan is my constant. I could never get rid of him, even if I wanted to. Why now? He must read the question in my eyes.

“I have been with her since she got here anyway, so I’m not leaving her now,” he explains. “You are right. She’s important, not just to you . . . but to me. I will never be able to have a future with her since I’m dead, but I can help keep her safe while she does what needs to be done.”

“Are you sure about this?” I ask. I don’t own Ronan. He is my friend, my brother. Guilt assaults me at his confession. I didn’t even know he thought of and wished for a future with someone. We never spoke of it, only of the job, but he’s right. All that was taken from him, and it was my fault, so if he wishes to follow Tate, I will not stop him. She would be better with him by her side.

“Yes, but will you be okay?”

“Ronan, I can take care of myself, brother. Just . . . keep our girl alive, alright?”

“Our girl?” he repeats as he starts to float away. “When did Tate Havelock become our girl?”

“The moment she walked into my office,” I reply. “Now, go before she kills the fae. She needs him, Ronan, do you understand?”

He nods as he watches me. “Thank you, Shamus. I’ll keep her safe.”

I wave him off, and when he’s gone, I slump back into my bed, alone for the first time in forever.

It will be strange not having Ronan at my side, but he’s right. She needs him, and he deserves his freedom.

No one deserves it more.

“Shamus!” The scream fills the air, and I hear them all around me.

My unit is dying.

They were ambushed, all because of me.

It’s my fault. I led them right into this trap. I knew better, but I was tired and wanted to get back. It was our last mission before we would be sent home.

I got sloppy, and now the ground is covered in my brothers’ blood.

I glance over at Ronan, who’s ducked behind a crumbling building to my right. The night sky doesn’t give us much light, but I can see his silhouette from here.

I hear their constant gunfire spraying the entire area. It won’t be long until it sprays us too. We need to find cover quickly.

“Ronan, stay low!” I order. “Return fire.”

He nods, gripping his gun, and moves to the other side of the building. I watch him go before focusing on my own task. I have to trust him to stay alive.

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