Page 13 of Break Her Heart
I grabbed the wood from Adar’s grip and slowly lowered it. “I have to do this. You have to let me.”
For a heartbeat, he just stared at me, frozen. Then he stood. But I saw a little piece of him shatter.
I felt August lean forward beneath me. His lips were inches from my ear. “Good girl,” he murmured.
I jumped up.
His gaze devoured me, inch by inch, as if seeing me surrender had lit something savage inside him. Without a second thought, I slammed the piece of wood in my hand into his thigh.
He jerked back, but the smirk never left his face. “So others can’t hurt me. Only you, Winnie? Good to know.”
“I hate you.”
“You should.”
I grabbed the wood sticking out of his stomach and pulled it out, making sure to pull upward as I did. He groaned.
“I am going to kill them all,” I whispered.
“I hope you do.”
“I am going to be your worst nightmare.” I forced the words out, but it was a promise. For him to force me into this. To force me into submission was the worst thing he could do. He was going to regret it.
A grin curled over his mouth. “Gods, I can’t wait.”
5
Adar
She said yes.
Not to escape. Not even to buy us time. She said yes like it was the only option left. And I couldn’t breathe.
I stood there, frozen in place, watching my sister agree to marry a monster. My fists clenched so tightly my nails dug half-moons into my palms. I didn’t even feel it. I was too focused on her voice—steady, resolute, and completely wrong.
What the hell is she thinking?
My heart hammered behind my ribs, each beat like a warning I couldn’t ignore. The way August looked at her made my skin crawl. Not with lust, not with rage—something else. Something darker. Like he owned her already. Like he had since the moment she stepped into his world.
She thought this was what Papa would’ve wanted. That sacrificing herself was worth protecting the coven.
But Papa wouldn’t have asked this of her.
He would have fought tooth and nail to keep her free. To keep her safe.
I turned away before I said something I couldn’t take back. I couldn’t look at her right now, not when every part of me wanted to rip August apart and drag Bronwen out of here.
But she’d made her choice.
And the worst part? I could see why. The promise of safety. Freedom for witches. No more hiding. No more fear. It was everything we’d ever wanted.
And now it came with a price.
Her.
I forced a breath through my teeth and stared at the wall, at anything that wasn’t the chains or the vampire grinning behind them. If this was the deal she was making, then I was going to make damn sure she survived it.
Even if it killed me.
