Page 122 of Finlay

Frustration bubbled, threatening to boil over. Matt’svoice was alive and well in my brain again, fed by the absurdity of the situation.

You don’t deserve any of this.

They pitied you because you’re pathetic.

You never would’ve escaped me alone.

To my utter mortification, tears filled my eyes. “I don’t understand. Why? Why me?”

“Because I was almost you,” Bailey said, leaning closer. “And Oscar, Cal’s mate, hewasyou. Nobody was able to help us, but we could all help you. It’s not because any of us thought you were weak. On the contrary. We thought you were worth saving. That you deserved the happiness Matt worked so hard to deprive you of.”

Bailey’s voice silenced Matt’s with ease, leaving nothing but peaceful acceptance behind.

“I’m sorry if we overstepped,” Cal said. “But like Bailey said, seeing you in that situation was almost like being offered a do-over. We’d do the same for anyone we realise is being abused.”

“You didn’t overstep,” I said. “I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to thank you enough though.”

“I too need to thank ye.” I turned at the raw emotion in Finn’s voice. Surprise filled me at the silver lining his eyes. “I didn’t know who Chester was to me then, but thank ye. I’ll forever be in yer debt for saving him.”

“No debt is needed,” Harlow said firmly.

Finn smiled tightly. “Still, if you ever need an extra pair of shifter hands alongside Danny’s, you know who to call.”

Everyone chuckled. I closed my eyes, letting some of the anxiety seep from me. At Finn’s next question though, they flew back open.

“Now, is this where you tell us Matt suffered a suitably painful and prolonged death?”

Chapter 35

Finn

The silence that followed my question wasn’t promising.

Bailey was the one who broke it, sitting back in his chair and folding his arms over his chest before addressing his mate. “You can’t still be pissed at me about this.”

“I can,” Harlow said, his lips pursed. “Stupid fucking demonic laws.”

Chester’s hand found mine under the table. “Is Matt still alive?”

I didn’t like the clammy feeling of his palm, or the way his hand was trembling. “Not for long if I get my way,” I muttered.

“Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.” Cal glared at his brother. “Harlow made an idiotic deal with his mate, which means we can’t allow physical harm to come to someone who’s hurt Bailey.”

I stared at Harlow in confusion. I hadn’t spent much time with him over the centuries, but what I did know was that his level of unhinged was rivalled only by Logan’s. “Why on earth would you make that kind of a deal?”

Harlow huffed. “Let’s just say Bailey caught me at a moment of weakness.”

“It was midway through giving him a blow job.” Bailey smirked wickedly. “Gotta pick your moments with Low.”

The demon scowled, but that didn’t stop him getting up and plopping himself on the bigger man’s lap. “It’s not my fault your mouth is like magic. I would’ve agreed to anything to get you to continue.”

Chester cleared his throat, red rushing up his neck and into his cheeks. “Not that I’m condoning murder, but what kind of deal is that unbreakable?”

“The demonic kind,” Cal sighed. “It’s magically binding, and to break it would mean immortal death for us. I have one with my mate where I can’t lie to him.”

Chester’s brows twitched. “I’d hope you wouldn’t lie to him regardless.”

“Obviously not, but this covers everything.” Cal rubbed a hand over his face in frustration. “I can’t even throw him a surprise party because if he asked me outright, I’d have to tell him.”

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