Page 207 of Bloody Royals

August held me close, his head buried in my hair. I moved my hand over his skin, feeling the light, standing hair on his arm. I pressed a kiss over the pulse beating in his neck and closed my eyes. I could picture my life with him, the way it was before our lives changed forever. I wanted it back—the innocence. But at the same time, I wanted it to be better than before. I listened to his breathing, the soft beating of a strong and healthy heart.

“I love you, Christine,” he murmured against my skin. I held him as close as I could and pictured our life together.

“I love you, too.”

Chapter Sixteen

LEO

“Let’s hurry up,” I barked, my anxiety gnawing at me. I stole a glance at Atticus and rolled my eyes when I saw his smug grin. “Eager to get back to our queen?”

I deftly dodged a passerby, jogging to keep pace with Atticus as he made his way down a shadowy alley. In truth, I was well aware of Augustus and Christine’s plans for the evening. Though I had accepted our peculiar arrangement, that didn’t make it any easier to stomach the thought of Christine being taken by him in that hotel—hard, with passion, and relentlessly.

“Let’s just finish this,” I snarled.

Atticus paused and turned to face me. “You have improved a lot since you joined us. I feared that I would have to strip Christine of you completely, but your ability to adjust has been surprisingly impressive.”

I openly scoffed. “I can only adjust because I have no other choice.”

A tinge of tenderness illuminated his features for a second. “Because the alternative…”

My gaze dropped to the pavement before locking back on him. “Losing her isn’t an option—so I’m willing to take whatever piece of her that I can get.”

“Good,” Atticus hissed as he stiffened his back. He glanced toward the door, then settled his gaze upon me. “My sources have informed me that one of the rebellion leaders is from this very district. We must find his mother. She is our best chance to—”

A sharp, snarky voice cut him off. “Hello, boys.”

We both whipped around to face the mysterious intruder. I vaguely recognized her outline in the faint moonlight.

“Eva,” Atticus snarled. “What the hell are you still doing here?”

The small figure slowly walked toward us, and I could make out her features as she stepped closer into the light. She was a young woman, dark hair cut short and features that were too soft for a warrior, yet here she was. Spritely and determined, she kept her chin held high as she addressed us.

I recalled seeing her in Redview when I came here to tell Atticus that Christine had disappeared, but I never got the chance to ask who she was before chaos ensued.

She gestured toward the buildings surrounding us and looked back at Atticus with a sly smile on her lips. “Your father wanted me to stay and keep an eye on things here,” she explained matter-of-factly. Her arms were crossed in defiance over her chest, daring him to challenge her words.

Atticus’s jaw tightened as he ran a finger along his chin. “I had a feeling they sent you to spy on Augustus and me when we came here to see Lord Nathan,” he said scathingly.

She bowed mockingly, her gaze hard. “I’m a good little soldier, am I not? My father sends a command and I do it—no questions asked.”

I felt the air suddenly grow oppressive and heavy. Anger poured through her words. Atticus spat, “I suppose you intend to run to my father and tell him we’re here.” His eyes were blazing with distrust and fury.

She sneered at us, her lip curling in contempt. “So, what are you two up to?”

“Going to see someone,” Atticus replied coldly.

“Who?”

“That’s none of your business,” I growled, clenching my jaw.

She chuckled darkly, her eyes glinting with malice. “Oh, but I think it is. If you don’t want me to make a phone call to Theodore DuPont, then you’d better start talking.”

Atticus and I exchanged a wary glance before the former sighed heavily. “What is it that you want? If you’re gonna betray us, then just do it. I’m not going to kill a kid.”

Eva’s lips twisted in a mocking smile. “Oh, so kind.” Her gaze flickered between us. “I’ve been stuck in this godforsaken town for weeks, and this is the only remotely interesting thing happening, but you won’t even give me the satisfaction of a fight?”

Atticus let out a harsh laugh that bordered on a sob. “Guess I’ll have to disappoint you.”

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