Page 21 of The Sin Binders Ascent

Theo glances up. “Why? You gonnacompelme, golden boy?”

He lifts his glass. “Please do. Let’s see if your Dominion still works on sins older than your concept of hierarchy.”

Caspian launches the first strike without warning or sound, his fist arcing clean across the table andslamminginto Theo’s jaw with enough force to rattle the centerpiece. The candlesticks topple, bread flies, and forks scatter like shrapnel.

Theo’s chair crashes backward, taking him with it. He hits the ground and rolls to his feet too fast, grin smeared crimson, eyes alight withdelight.

“Oh,” he breathes, tongue flicking over blood-slicked teeth, “finally.”

Then it's afree-for-all.

Riven’s already vaulted the table. He doesn’t punch, hecrashes, brute force wrapped in purpose, grabbing Theo by the collar and slamming him into the wall hard enough to crack the plaster.

“Stayawayfrom her,” Riven snarls, and Theo laughs even as his ribs absorb the next blow.

Silas swings a chair leg like a bat. “I’m not missing out on this level of catharsis, sorry!”

The leg splinters against Theo’s side, and hestaggers, catching himself just before Elias kicks him square in the stomach.

Elias huffs, exasperated. “IknewI should’ve brought my taser. Or a banana. Either works in close combat.”

Theo throws a punch. It’s clean, fast, and landssquareon Elias’ jaw. Elias spins from the impact, grinning even as he stumbles. “Ow. Rude.”

Lucien doesn’t get involved at first. Hewatches. Calculating. Until Theo, panting and grinning and bleeding from the mouth, locks eyes with him and says,

“Afraid of what happens if youloseto me, Virelius?”

And that’s it. Lucien moves like a command stripped of reason. His hands don’t tremble, butpowertrembles around him, Domination brushing the edge of what the room canstand.

Theo ducks the first strike, counters the second. “There’s the tyrant I remember.”

I take my moment. Step into the chaos. Grip Theo by the shirt andslammy forehead into his nose.

He reels back, blood streaming, and laughs, choked and giddy.

“You’re all sopredictable.”

“Yeah?” I snarl, grabbing him again. “Predictthis.”

Riven’s elbow connects with Theo’s jaw again. Caspian knees him in the gut. Elias shouts, “Headlock him!” while Silas just yells, “For Luna!” and dives from the counter like a gremlin.

Orin steps forward last. Calm. Controlled. He waits until Theo’s doubled over and grabs him by the back of the neck, holding him like he’s somethingdisgusting. His voice is low.

“You’re in our house. You speak to her again like that, and no one here will stop me.”

Theo coughs, blood and teeth, and smugness all tangled.

And then,

Luna’s voice, from the stairs.

“What. Thefuck.”

All of us freeze.

Theo looks up from the floor, face bruised, bloodied, and lit with the kind of grin that should be carved from marble and buried.

“Dinner wasdelicious,” he wheezes.

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