Page 113 of Royal Deception
They’re right, and I know that. I just don’t want to admit it. I want to be by Rory’s side, to show him that I’m not weak, that Ican handle whatever comes my way. But deep down, I know this isn’t the right time. Not yet.
“Fine,” I finally mutter, exhaustion pulling at my body. "But the second it’s safe, I’m with him. You better get that message to him, or so help me God…”
They both nod, and I know they’re not taking my threats lightly. But for now, I have no choice but to trust them. I have no choice but to let Rory handle this his way, even if it kills me inside.
The ride to the penthouse feels like an eternity. Every bump in the road, every shift in the car’s movement makes my heart race a little faster. I can't sit still, and I know I’m driving Liam and Lucky crazy with my restless energy.
When we finally arrive, I barely wait for them to open the door before I’m inside, pacing like a trapped animal. The apartment’s quiet, eerily so, and I feel every second ticking by like a weight on my chest.
Liam takes a seat, arms crossed, his eyes flicking between me and the window, his jaw tight. Lucky stands at the door, his hand hovering near his gun, his stance tense. They’re both on edge, and it makes me feel worse.
I can't stand this. I hate waiting. I need to know that Rory’s okay. That he’s still alive. That he’s not facing Aleksey alone, trying to do everything he can to protect us. My stomach twists just thinking about it.
“What’s taking so long?” I snap, breaking the silence.
Liam looks up, his expression calm, but I can see the concern beneath it. “He’ll be fine, Clary. Rory’s a survivor. He’s been through worse.”
I know he’s trying to reassure me, but I’m not convinced. I wish I could believe it.
We both jump when Lucky’s phone rings, slicing through the thick tension in the room. I freeze, every muscle in mybody going rigid. My eyes flick to Lucky, watching as he pulls the phone from his pocket. For a moment, he just stares at the screen, his face unreadable.
“Is it him?” I breathe, every part of me hoping that it’s Rory.
Lucky doesn’t answer, his thumb hovering over the screen before he presses it to his ear.
“Hello?”
46
RORY
“I’m coming home,” I tell Lucky, staring at Aleksey as he gets into his car. I watch long enough to ensure he’s driving off before nodding to my men, and we start heading to our own cars, the confrontation over.
The moment I step back into the apartment, I can feel the weight of the world lift just a little. Clary's standing there, waiting, her eyes wide with worry. I don't know how she looks so perfect after everything we’ve just been through, but she does. Her lips part, and before I can say a word, she’s in my arms, her hands clutching at my jacket like she’s afraid I’ll disappear if she lets go.
I pull her close, breathing in the scent of her hair, the softness of her body. She’s here. Safe. That’s all that matters right now. My heart beats in a way I didn’t realize it could, faster than it ever has before.
"I thought I'd lose you," she murmurs, her voice shaky. "I?—"
"Not happening," I growl against her hair, kissing the top of her head. "Never."
Lucky clears his throat from the door, and Liam steps forward, his eyes flicking between Clary and me. The tension isstill thick in the room, the air charged with a question neither of them wants to ask but both of them need the answer to.
"What happened?" Liam asks, his tone more urgent than I’ve heard in a long time.
I pull back from Clary, my hands still on her shoulders. “I bluffed,” I say, voice low but firm. The words feel heavier than they should, but it’s the truth.
They both look at me as though I’m crazy, and I grin. “Told them all that intel we had on Anatoly? Said he wasn’t the only one. Bastard could try to take the business from me, but if he wanted to try, we would turn the rest of what we had over to the Feds.”
“Did he believe you?” Liam asks, almost breathless.
“He questioned me. Asked why I didn’t turn him in then. I implied that our informant had given us enough to turn in not just him, but every other man at the top of their organization. I was only playing nice because I didn’t want things to turn into a full-scale war, but if he tested me, he would get what he deserved.”
Clary’s hand finds mine again, her fingers squeezing with something like relief and disbelief all at once. “So… you didn’t just give in?” she asks, looking up at me like she’s waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"No," I answer, shaking my head. "I didn’t give in. I gave Aleksey a choice.”
I take a deep breath, running a hand through my hair as I turn back to face Clary, Liam, and Lucky. "I told Aleksey exactly what I wanted. No more messing with Veridex or Mark. I demanded that he sell his shares, completely pull out of everything. I also made it crystal clear that if they wanted to keep pushing on Callie’s stalker, they’d regret it. I told him to hand him over to us and that we’d deal with him ourselves."
