Page 148 of Filthy Royal

“Come on.” The lead guard addressed his associates once more. “Let’s wait outside in the hall for the others to finish their sweeps. I’m not interested in spending any more time up here than necessary.”

Oh no.They were lingering in the corridor. Which made sneaking out of the closet and the room infinitely harder, as one couldn’t slide open a door without being noticed.

Another, larger wave of panic swept through her. How was she supposed to save them now?

Not a damned thing came to mind.

This was not good. The darkness inside her kicked out, cracking at her ribs, and Scarlett stifled a pained gasp. But the worry continued to build. A sense of hopeless despair—so familiar after four planetary rotations—blanketed her skin.

Damien had just started to look at her again with warmth in his eyes, and now she had to tell him they’d have to fight their way out and likely not make it.

“It’s okay, beautiful,” he whispered against her ear as he lowered the laser to his side. “I’ve got a plan. Maxheim has what he needs. We just have to wait the guards out.”

He had a plan? When had that happened?

But she had to admit it was nice not having the entire burden of their survival on her shoulders.

Her brother and Kadon meant well, but they were trapped, just like her. So she hadn’t felt right adding to their load by constantly asking for help. Instead, she’d made her plans and shielded them as best as she could.

Still, if it didn’t work. Damien would die.

“Settle, Omega.” The soft stroke of a calloused fingertip against her jaw made her nipples pebble against the frayed fabric of her gown and his shirt. “I’m not going off half-cocked. It’ll be okay.”

Longing and need blazed a white-hot path through her bloodstream, no taming chain required. The confidence in his tone and the gentleness of his touch—everything she thought she’d never experience again—clawed at the last of her defenses, leaving her raw and exposed and aching for him.

She shifted restlessly against his solid form. So steady. So sure.

The male who’d bloodied his knuckles for her.

The male who’d gotten on his comms to help save her friends.

The male who’d seen the bruises left by her gift and seemed gutted.

Because that’s who he was: bossy and domineering, yes, but also wild, strong, loyal, caring, and protective.

An Alpha willing to do anything and everything for those he loved; no matter what it cost him. The kind of extraordinary male who was beyond rare, and who she’d had the privilege of being loved by… once.

The heedless, reckless part of her that had sparked to life the moment they met rose to the surface once more.

She rocked back into the hard bulge at her back.

He might not love her anymore, but even with the ugliness of her betrayal between them, even against his better judgment, he did care—and that was a gift she’d never expected.

A silent growl rumbled from him to her and straight to her clit.

She whimpered in need.

“I got you, beautiful.” The movement of his lips against the shell of her ear added to the fever scorching her skin.

No one had had her back like this in a very long time.

She knew it would be smarter to remind them both of his anger, the consequences of her betrayal, and all the unanswered questions and secrets that still lay between them.

And she knew it was risky to come together when there were guards so close by.

But the sharp edge of fear, risk, and danger, and the very idea that they might not make it out alive, made her desperate to do exactly what she shouldn’t.

“I’m not going to let anything hurt you.” Damien’s thumb stroked a slow, sensual caress over the fluttering pulse at the base of her neck, and her self-preservation slipped away altogether.

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