Page 28 of Passion & Betrayal

“Our problems are still waiting for us,” Cian says once we all have our breathing under control.

“I know,” Isabel says, placing a kiss under his stubbled chin. “But I have a plan.”

“You do?” we ask in unison.

“Yes. We are going to use me as bait.”

“Fuck, no!” I roar, jumping up from the bed. “Are you insane? Did you see what that piece of shit did to Kristy?”

“I’ll be fine. With the mate bond, you can easily track me,” she replies. “We need to end this before Micah hurts anyone else.”

****

Isabel

I beg them to listen to me. “I’ve thought about my idea for the last few hours, and it’s the only one I can come up with. It’s time to destroy Micah before he kills any more of our people.”

“I won’t have it,” Cian said.

Sypher grunts. “I’m with him. There are other ways without putting you in danger.”

I get frustrated. “But I…”

Cian gripped my face. “No! We won’t allow it. Just think about the scenario. Once he gets his hands on you, he’ll just kill you, and then we won’t have our mate, and you’ll be dead. My father is a vile, soulless person, and he won’t stop until he hurts me. By taking your life, he knows it would destroy me. Please don’t bring this up again. Sypher and I will come up with something. Sypher’s got his men here that he trusts and aren’t involved with the situation, and we’ll go through mine to see who’s loyal to me and the ones loyal to my father.”

I give in, knowing he’s right. I just want it all to end so we can build a life together. “Can I get in touch with my dad soon? He hasn’t heard from me, and I know he’s probably going crazy.”

“I’ve kept in touch,” Cian said. “He knows you’re safe, but yes, he would like to hear your voice.”

I nod. I’d also feel better hearing his voice. I didn’t think I’d miss him as much as I do. But he’s the only parent I’ve had my whole life.

“You need to get rest, Baby,” Sypher says. “Let’s get you in with Kristy. We’ll pull out the sofa bed for you. You’re both the safest in that room while your mates deal with the situation.”

I nod. I am exhausted, and sleep sounds good, but I’d sleep better with them on either side of me. I won’t say that out loud because the most important thing they can do is secure the whole club.

Now that they were finally a mated triad, I can finally rest easy on that. I had no idea how disconnected I felt until they finally had mated and marked me as theirs.

They got me settled in with the other woman before they locked us in. I hadn’t thought I’d fall asleep, but I felt that, for the moment, they didn’t have to worry about Micah and could take time to rebuild a club. A new one that included both MCs.

I knew the fight wasn’t over with the demented bastard, Micah, but for the moment, there was peace in my world.

****

Doom

It has been three days since the last attack. Most of the injured men have been able to shift and repair their broken, damaged bodies. This reprieve is driving each of us to the brink of madness, the waiting setting us ever more on edge each day.

“I wish he would make a fucking move,” Sypher grumbles, slamming his half-drunk beer on the bar top. “I want him out in the open so we can kill him and get this over with.”

Nodding, I sip my own beer. He isn’t wrong. This entire situation needs to come to an end before we can start building our lives and future with our little mate. A smile spreads across my face as I think of her sleeping on the pull-out sofa, her body spent, and her lust slaked not even an hour ago.

“I can’t tell you what I don’t know,” I say. “He could show up in the next five minutes, or we could be forced to wait five weeks. That part is out of our hands.”

Sypher grumbles, but he knows I am right. My animal perks up as a ruckus erupts just outside the compound door. It isn’t my father, that much is clear due to the lack of flying bullets and destruction. But there is obviously something going on.

Sypher and I make our way outside to investigate.

“Ghost?” Sypher asks once we lay eyes on the massive man demanding entrance to the compound.

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