Page 115 of The Road to Ruined

"Yes," I say, lowering the knife. I wipe my cheeks with the back of my hand and sit—not beside Declan but at Luca's feet,wrapping my arm around his leg. I press my lips to the inside of his knee.

"I love you, Teagan," Luca says. "He doesn't love you."

"I know that," I tell him.

"You're my baby, aren't you, Teag?" Luca says, pushing his hands through my hair.

I nod.

Sebastian glares at me and then Luca. "Maybe I'll let you go if you let me kill that one."

"Like my dad killed your mom?" Luca taunts.

"Didn't you kill your own mom and then fuck your new one?"

"Sebastian,pleaseleave him alone."

Sebastian moves to the other side of the room, pulls out the desk chair, and sits wide-legged with his arms crossed in front of him. I look from him to Declan—their size, their posture…it's like looking in a fucking mirror. How didn't I see it?

"Sebastian," I say, "you should take off your mask. I bet Declan wants to see your face."

"No."

"He remembers you. He's your brother."

Luca scoffs. "They'renotbrothers."

"You're his brother, too, Luca."

"I really wish I'd let that one die on that plane," Sebastian says. "I despise you. There is something really wrong with you, isn't there, Teagan? You want to die forthisguy? Maybe you should just slit your throat so we can be done with this."

"Don't listen to him, Teagan," Declan says. "He doesn't mean it."

"I'm not. I wasn't talking toBone Saw.I don't want him—IwantSebastian."

"She's right, though. I do remember you, and I do want to see your face. We are brothers."

"I don't want to see his fucking face," Luca says.

Apparently, that's all the convincing he needed. Sebastian lowers the hood and removes the mask.

He's uncomfortable; he doesn't want to look at either of them so he looks at me. The similarities are striking. All three men have the same cheekbones and brow ridge; Declan and Sebastian have the same dark eyes and hairline. Their hair and skin tone is different but still, I don't know how I never noticed it before.

I missed him. He missed me, too—that's why he's here. He disobeyed for me. He killed another member of The Order to save me.

Declan's right—he's not going to hurt me, and so he won't hurt them.

"Sebastian could come with us," I tell Declan.

"Fuck that—"

"He can't, honey. Sebastian is right—no one leaves The Order. They'd kill us all," Declan says. "Do you have a car?"

"Yes," Sebastian says.

"There's a small airport not far from here. Bring her there after the wedding."

"No way. We can't trust him with her," Luca says.

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