Page 95 of Her Remarkable Protector

Tommy’s face slacks as he searches behind his jacket.

Damon laughs, shaking his head. The box I thought I’d discarded long ago, has come back to me with the same, revolting arrogance.

“I underestimated you, Honor,” he says, his tone more amused than sincere.

“Do you know why I want to kill him, Damon?”

“He sold you out,” he replies.

“Yeah, that,” I respond coldly as my gaze drills into Chase. Then, through clenched teeth, I add, “And he killed my father.”

Damon groans, strolling to the edge of the platform as though this reveal is mildly inconvenient. “Who the hell are you?”

My head snaps toward Chase. “Ask him.”

37

CHASE

I dangle in defeat, my body pulling itself apart, muscle by muscle. The sting of open wounds blends with the ache of betrayal, one far worse than the physical: the way Honor looks at Damon.

How? How can she believe I sold her out? That I led Damon to her doorstep?

And it doesn’t stop there. I haven’t forgotten—she still thinks I murdered her father.

Damon stays silent, struggling to piece together the answer himself. Bet he still hasn’t figured out who Honor really is. Details—faces, names, words—they’re not the kind of thing he bothers with.

Honor, as if dropping breadcrumbs for Damon, says, “Kalispell. Bullseye.”

“Damn it, Samson!” Damon roars, bitter realization filling his eyes. “Don’t tell me you left a witness.”

Honor says to him, “I stuck with you to get close to him. To give me a name. In a way, you helped me—just not how I expected.”

Damon shakes his head, a slow grin tugging at his lips. “Honor, Honor. I really underestimated you. But hey, I’m glad you’ve got your priorities straight. He’s all yours,” He steps back to give Honor a clear shot at me.

I can’t figure out what her intention is. If her plan is to kill me, she’ll succeed—but then what? Damon will destroy her, dragging Oakley and Laramie into the Circle’s hell, a life they never deserved.

If she’s bluffing—who’s she trying to save here? She has only a single shot before either Tommy or Damon takes her out. Then I’ll be next.

Nothing good can come out of this.

But I’ve got to try. “Damon. You said it, you saw me as a brother. A lot has happened since, and I know there’s no room for the both of us in this world. And it’s clear now who’s gonna go,” I slur, the words spilling out of my swollen, blood-filled mouth. “But I’m begging you—for the Stoneborn blood we once shared—grant me one last wish. Be a father to your children, and let Honor be their mother.”

“Touching,” Honor says evenly, this time her arms straighten, the gun steady in her hands. She calls out to Damon, “Let him loose, so I can shoot him when he’s kneeling.”

“Honor…” I murmur, though the words likely don’t reach her. They’re too soft, and she’s too far.

Damon’s gaze locks onto her. “You’re dead serious, aren’t you?” His voice simmers in disbelief.

“Let him loose, Damon. Let me do to him what he did to my father!” she insists.

Damon barely acknowledges her, something makes him shift his focus to me. “You know, Chase, I’ll honor your wish. No pun intended.” He lets out a short laugh. “This moment? It’s going to make a great story for little Damie. God, I can’t wait to meet my boy.”

Honor’s mouth tilts in a faint smile. “You won’t meether.”

A subtle shift flickers across her face, one I pray Damon doesn’t catch.

“Because you’ll be in hell!” she shouts, spinning on her heel and leveling her aim at him.

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