Page 77 of Seal My Fate

“It was you. You came after them, in the woods. Youshotat her!”

I’m shaking with rage. My own brother. He tried to kill Tessa, fired a bullet right at her that flew only inches from her heart. “How could you?” I demand. “What the fuck is going on with this family?”

“He did what was necessary to protect us,” my mother speaks up, still defiant, even after everything. “He put our legacy first and accepted his responsibilities to this family. Since you still refuse to play your part.”

“You never do anything you’re supposed to!” Robert spits, suddenly looking furious. “You’re the oldest son, this is your future we’re all fighting to protect, but still, you get to go off, partying, doing whatever the hell you want, while I’m the one who has to pay the price! You don’t know the things I’ve done,” he says, pointing an angry finger at me. “What I’ve had to sacrifice for this family…”

The haunted look in his eyes makes my blood run cold.

“It’s over,” I repeat, determined. “We have the proof, we’re exposing everything. And you’ll go down with them.”

“Nobody’s going anywhere.” My mother sounds remarkably calm. “It’s being handled as we speak.”

“Handled how?”

And then I see it, the flicker in Robert’s gaze.

Tessa.

“Where is she?” I demand, still pointing the gun at him. I already know in my gut that she’s not just wandering the cathedral out there. They took her. Whoever else is involved in this has her, and I have to get her back, no matter what. “Where’s Tessa?” I roar, my voice rising.

“She’s being dealt with.” My mother folds her arms.

I see red. “What the fuck does that mean?” I demand. “Is she hurt? Who has her? Tell me dammit, or I swear—”

“You’ll do what?” Robert interrupts me. “Shoot me? This is your family, too!”

I stare at them grimly. “You don’t understand. There’snothingI wouldn’t do for her.”

Without hesitating another moment, I point the barrel of the gun at Robert’s leg and pull the trigger.

The gun sounds a low whoosh, muffled by the silencer. Robert howls, falling to the floor and clutching his knee. “You shot me!” he cries in disbelief. “You actually shot me!”

“And I’ll do it again, in a heartbeat,” I vow, advancing. I raise the gun—pointing at his head this time. Fury and panic beat wildly in my chest, filling my ears with a dull roar. “Now tell me,where the fuck is she?!”

“At the house!” Robert blurts, eyes wide with fear. “In Sussex.”

I keep advancing, until the barrel of the gun is pressed right between his eyes. “I swear it!” Robert sobs, crumpled on the ground in front of me. “Hugh took her. A half-hour ago! She’s in the cellars there!”

My finger trembles on the trigger. Rage pounds through me, remembering what they did to Tessa’s sister. What they plan to do to her.And he helped…

“Anthony, please!” my mother cries.

At the last minute, I force myself to lower the gun. There’s no time. Not with Tessa locked up—scared, hurt, or even worse…

I back away, shooting them all a look of pure disgust. “You’re dead to me now,” I tell them, finality in my voice. “The Ashford name, the one you’ll do anything to protect… It’s yours. Keep it.”

And then I turn and race away. Tessa is the only one that matters to me now. She’s my family, my future, my everything. If I can reach her in time…

I only hope I’m not too late.

Chapter20

Tessa

Iwake, groggy. My head is killing me, and there’s an intense pounding in the back of my skull. I moan before I’ve even opened my eyes.

Why does it hurt?

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