Page 92 of The Heart of a Villain

We both take out the swords from our scabbards and stand in position. “May the stronger one win,” he says right before he strikes forward, and the blades clack against each other as thunder booms in the air, followed by the rain pouring down on us.

We jump away from each other while circling one another before our arms swing forward again, the steel clanging several times, with him glancing my skin and drawing blood.

Despite him aiming for the kill, I’m trying to keep this fight level until I can talk some sense into him. “He had photos. Proof. And you never wanted to talk about the past. Always controlling me, my actions. Were harder on me than anyone else,” I shout through the rain and lunge toward him, managing to nick his shoulder, but he quickly dips backward and blocks my blow. “You taught me to believe what I see and never what emotions dictate to me.”

“Yes. And you turned all my knowledge into a weapon!”

The ground becomes slippery around us, and I pull back when he pushes his sword to my stomach but quickly turn to the right, making him pierce the air while rebuffing his weapon as we jump away from each other once again. “My child. Aileen had nothing to do with this. I was there, never hiding from your rage, but you took her!”

Clack. Clack. Clack.

A groan stills inside me when he stabs his sword into my thigh, the pain zipping through my leg, but I manage to stab him in the shoulder at the same time.

He steps back while our swords continue to strike each other; however, with his mood, I won’t be playing nice much longer.

Wanting to be kind to the father of the woman you want is one thing, but acting like a coward while facing him?

Whole different story.

“Well, I learned from the best.” Clack. Clack. Clack. “Isn’t that what you did to your wife?”

If it were anyone else, I’d take their shit about me losing my honor all of a sudden when I went after the daughter in order to punish the father.

But Lachlan?

He has no fucking moral ground to stand on here!

Circling the perimeter, while intensely watching each other through the rain that intensifies and soaks us from head to toe, he replies furiously, “Don’t you dare talk about my wife.”

“Why? Make you feel guilty? If it helps, I’ve been way kinder to your daughter than you were to Valencia. Didn’t keep her locked in my dungeon!”

He roars, tossing the sword to his other hand while maneuvering to the right, and his steel pierces my side, not deep enough to cause any significant damage, but the pain freezes me a little, which gives him an opportunity to deliver a kick to my injured leg.

I stumble backward, falling on one knee, the mud splashing in different directions while I remove my wet hair from my face and quickly get up.

“You were supposed to be the heir because I thought you had what it takes to be the leader.”

My brows rise in surprise despite the situation while we both breathe heavily, pacing around and studying the opponent as my mind swirls with his admission.

He planned to give his empire and legacy to me? Not to Arson?

Although none of the elite ever showed the desire to continue the legacy, especially considering they hid it so well from their children.

“I raised you as a murderer, yes. Because I wanted to make sure you would be able to handle him once he showed up.” His laughter sends shame through my system along with anger for the despicable lies Jade spat my way. I might have never been respectful toward him or spent time in his company more than necessary, but because of him, I became a fool blinded by revenge.

Worse.

I turned my back on the man who gave me a family when my own gave up on me.

Simply put, the list of my sins grows the longer I think about them, which doesn’t help me right now at all.

“My mother! She died! Do you understand that?” Twisting the sword a few times, I lean on my right leg and then lunge after him, once again just nicking his neck while we fight one another.

He might have all the experience and muscles, but he taught me how to handle swords. I know all his moves before he makes them, while I sharpened my skills over the years.

Not to mention, I’m younger.

I could win this, but I don’t want the victory if he is innocent.

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