Page 55 of His Dark Purpose

Seth had gone there to make sure she was okay, but if she wasn’t willing to take responsibility for her share of what had happened, he wasn’t going to go easy on her. She’d chosen to be there with Kyle, and even if he’d forced the ropes around her ankles, she clearly wasn’t fighting him off.

“Shacked up?” Kyle repeated as though there was anything even vaguely insulting about the description.

“Mum?” Seth prompted, disregarding Kyle’s comment. “Why him?”

She pulled in a breath, as if steeling herself, but Seth noticed the way her gaze fell at the same time. Evidently, she did feel at least an ounce of shame about her choice. The thought warmed him.

“It’s complicated, Seth. Mr. Kyle has been good to me.”

“So, I see.” Seth glanced around the luxurious pad. Hehadseen more of the house than either of them knew. “Is that why you let him tie you to the bed?”

He hadn’t intended for his tone to be as cutting as it sounded when he signaled to the rope still tied at her ankle, but he didn’t regret asking. Despite his mum’s frantic attempts to unravel what Seth assumed was Kyle’s handiwork, she was still bound to the bedstead.

“Seth!” She sounded close to tears. “That has nothing to do with you!”

“Oh, sure.” He rolled his eyes. “Why should I care if my mum is cuffed to a stranger’s bed?”

He couldn’t believe how unreasonable she was being. Surely, she could see things from his point of view and understand why he was worried? Wouldn’t she have reacted similarly if she’d found him or Jonah in the same predicament with a rich, new lover? The mum he recalled was loyal and fiercely protective. He had little doubt that she would have been concerned.

“It’s not likethat!”she spat, going red in the face.

“Like what?” Seth prodded.

“It’s like Mr. Kyle said.” She fidgeted on the bed as she peered up at her lover. “We love each other.”

“Jesus Christ.” Seth couldn’t help the laughter leaving his lips.

“I think it’s time you left, young man.” Kyle dropped his mother’s hand. “You can wait for us downstairs, where we can talk this through properly.”

“You’re asking me to leave?” Seth scoffed.

“That’s right.” Kyle’s jaw clenched. “Now,please. We’ll be down soon.”

“And if I don’t want to leave?” Seth had heard just about enough of Kyle’s shit. He might be older and wealthier than he was, but that didn’t mean he could order him around. He was, and would never be, his father.

Kyle pointed to the hallway. “If you don’t leave of your own accord, I’ll be compelled to help you.”

Seth sneered at the older man’s presumption. Kyle might be in decent shape for his age, but he was still decades Seth’s senior.

“Really?” Seth’s stare scanned him up and down. “You and whose army, Grandad?”

Chapter Nineteen

Slow Motion

Amy

Amy could see where the interaction between Seth and Kyle was sliding, and she didn’t like it, but tied to the bed—even if only by the rope wound around one ankle—there was frustratingly little she could do to physically halt the rising testosterone levels. Sure, she could make it to her feet, but she’d still have the bind to contend with while she wrestled with the bedsheets to protect her modesty.

“Have you always been so intolerably rude?” Kyle hissed, jabbing one of his slender fingers in her son’s direction.

“Yes.” Seth employed his most infuriating smirk. “Don’t you remember? We met once before, old man.”

“Seth!” Exasperated, she inched closer to the knot, tugging to release it as she beseeched her son. “Please, don’t!”

“What?” Seth snapped. “It’s the truth, Mum. Me and your new guy met once at Aspen Way.”

“What?” Working at the knot, she finally liberated the bind and shook the rope from her skin. “When did this happen?”

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