Page 139 of A Promise so Bold and Broken

You and me.

His eyes seemed to speak to her, and she had to fight with everything in her to break the draw of his gaze when Loche cleared his throat. “Apparently it didn’t work, since you’re here and not as far away as possible from the war I expect to descend on Havlands.”

Lessia winced, her voice nearly betraying her as she responded. “There was no way I’d leave everyone I loved behind.”

“I’m guessing that’s one of the reasons I loved you.” Loche’s gaze curiously swept over her. “So strange to know I did, but not know why. I mean, you’re beautiful and all… or you probably will be once you’ve bathed. But you seem… just quite average?”

Lessia started when Merrick flew past her, pushing Loche up against the wall, his face twisting with rage. “Do not speak to her that way. I don’t care that you did what you did to protect her. You hurt her.”

When Loche laughed darkly, Merrick’s hand wrapped around his throat. “I told you not to test me. I do not give a fuck who you are, regent. You do not disrespect m…” A muscle in Merrick’s jaw twitched. “You do not disrespect her.”

“Yours…” Loche spluttered as his face shifted colors, red tinting his cheeks. “Sh-she didn’t even respond to my question… question if she was with you,” he wheezed as Merrick’s eyes flared.

“Stop it!” Lessia screamed as she ran up and pulled at Merrick’s arm. “Merrick, stop!”

He didn’t spare her a look as Loche coughed a laugh again. “See. Sh-she still cares for me.”

Whispers exploded through the room—like a thunderstorm had drawn in without them realizing, and for the first time since she’d met him, a flicker of fear reflected in Loche’s hard eyes.

“Raine,” Lessia pleaded, whirling around to gesture toward the two Fae warriors who’d stood idly by this whole conversation.

“Please!” she yelled when Raine and Kerym hesitated.

“Shit!” Raine swore, and with a jerk of his head that sent his red hair flying, he and Kerym closed the distance to the raging Merrick.

It took both of them to get Merrick off.

When they finally succeeded, Loche fell to his knees, a hand grasping at his throat as he fought for air.

Merrick panted as well, his chest heaving where he stood between his friends, his face so cold it had goose bumps rise across her skin.

Lessia’s head snapped between the two males, and when Loche reached out to brace himself against the wall and got to his feet—clearly not injured beyond his pride—she stormed up to Merrick.

Raine and Kerym snickered as they backed away, but when she shot them a dark glare, they must have seen something in her eyes, as they swiftly shut their mouths.

“What. The. Fuck. Merrick,” Lessia hissed as she reached him.

His features contorted into a mask of boredom as he shrugged. “I didn’t kill him.”

She couldn’t help her lip curling to show off her canines when he began picking at his nails.

Picking at his nails!

“Do not do that again,” she snarled, adding “Merrick!” when he continued only to look at his hands.

He finally glanced her way.

“Promise me?” She glared right into his indifferent eyes.

“No.” Merrick raised his brows in challenge when she stepped even closer. “I won’t make a promise I can’t keep.”

She was about to smack him when Loche hoarsely announced, “My guards are probably storming this cabin soon. We should get going.”

“Get going?” Lessia still glared at Merrick, her eyes following the tension building across his shoulders again—probably at Loche’s voice.

“Well, I assume you won’t leave again, regardless of what you’ve just found out, so I need to bring you to the castle as my prisoners.”

Lessia spun around, wondering if she needed to smack some sense into Loche as well, when he tilted his head, his mouth lifting into a listless smile.

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