Page 82 of Perilous

I tilt my head back a little and touch my neck. I’m showing Luc right where he can stab me. A good enough first hit and I would bleed out in seconds. I’d fall to my knees and the last thing I’d see is Luc.

“Good luck,” Luc says, which surprises me.

He turns and exits the room.

I’m in deep now. Deeper than I ever thought I would be. There is so much more to this. More to the story of Annika. There are part of this story that she doesn’t know about.

She’s being used a pawn in a game she didn’t want to take part in. Kind of like the way I had no fucking desire to claim someone. Yet I will keep my promise when it comes to claiming someone.

I will protect her.

I will kill for her.

I would die for her.

But before that, I need to know what the fuck is going on here.

* * *

Holom Alistair livesin a penthouse apartment, surrounded by other douchebag rich neighbors who love to flaunt their cash and their power. The place smells like the foyer of a fancy hotel.

Holom answers the door, holding a glass of amber liquid and the sight of me makes him finish the drink and motion for me to follow him to his bar so he can get a refill.

To be fair, the last time this guy saw me, I was doing some pretty wild stuff to his daughter.

“She’s alive,” Holom whispers as he slides his glass toward me.

He lifts the entire bottle to his mouth and drinks.

“She’s alive and she’s safe,” I say.

“Safe?” Holom asks. He looks at me. “You think she’s safe right now?”

“She’s not dead,” I growl.

“Why would she be dead? What the hell do you have planned for my daughter?”

Okay. So he has no idea still that Luc wanted his daughter dead.

“Whether you like it or not, you no longer have to worry about her,” I say. “She’s mine now. There’s nothing you can do to change that. I claimed her. She not only went through a full ceremony, but she accepted being claimed. She wanted it.” I inch closer to Holom. “She fucking loves everything I do to her.”

Holom’s eyes widen and the bottle shakes in his hand. I can’t tell if this guy really loves his daughter or if something else is going on.

I stare into his drunk eyes.

Yes, he’sLegion.

I’m just part of aBrood.

But I’ve claimed his daughter, which connects me to him.

“You can slit my throat if you feel inclined to do so,” I whisper. “I won’t stop you. YourLegion.I respect what that means. What that represents. I did as you asked,sir.”

Calling Holomsirmakes me want to slit my own throat. But, it relieves a little tension in the room.

He nods. He likes being calledsir. This guy has a fucking ego that’s as squishy as a wet sponge. Now I just need the rest of the story. The truth.

“Remember what you told me,” I say to Holom. “Find her. Keep her safe. Protect her.”

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