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But Scar’s other hand swings free, brandishing another wicked-looking knife.

Oh fuck! He had two knives. The son of a bitch came at Cade with two knives!

I watch in helpless horror as the second knife arcs through the air and sinks to the hilt in Cade’s side, a sound that will haunt me forever.

“You stabbed him! You fucking deranged animal!” I launch myself at Scar, beyond reason, beyond fear. My teeth sink into his shoulder, animal wild, and the coppery taste of blood only spurs me on.

Scar throws me off with a roar of pain. My head cracks against the tiled floor, but I hardly feel it. My eyes are trained on the fallen knife. My arm darts out, and just as my fingers close around the hilt, pain explodes in my wrist as Scar’s boot crushes down.

My scream echoes through the kitchen, and through my tears, I see Cade take a step toward us, murder in his eyes despite the knife hilt protruding grotesquely from his side.

Scar takes the knife from me and yanks me up by my hair, dragging me to my feet. I kick and thrash, desperate to reach any part of Scar—to kill the murderous bastard. My arm slashes against the blade, but I barely feel it.

Cade steadies himself and keeps coming. Then Scar’s knife finds my throat, and Cade goes still.

“Don’t hurt them, Derek.” Cade’s voice is soft but glacial. He’s leaning heavily on the island now, blood pooling at his feet. “Luciana will do whatever you want. So will Saint.”

“The bastard just fucking stabbed you, Cade!” I scream, spittle flying in all-consuming rage, not caring about the knife at my throat.

“He had a good reason,” Cade says softly—as if to pacify the demon that Scar has suddenly become.

“Why?” I scream at Scar, blind to the fire in my scalp and Saint’s frantic barking. “Why, you . . . you . . . traitor! He gave you everything—”

“He used me.” Scar’s breath burns hot against my neck. “For years he strung me along, fed me crumbs but never a drop of what I really wanted. Not his family. Not his body, and certainly not you.” His grip tightens around me like iron bars. “Now look what you made me do.”

“What?” My eyes widen in horror. “Youstabbed him!”

“Because you corrupted him. I worshipped him and you twisted him into something tainted. You wanted me to face you like a man? Well, princess,” Scar jerks his head at Cade. “I’ll grant you that dying wish once your human shield goes away.”

He’s deranged. Sick. There’s no other explanation.

“Scar, please.” I cry. “I’ll pay for what I did. But Cade . . . he needs help.”

“He’ll bleed out in eight minutes. He’ll be dead in ten. Best we say our goodbyes. After, you and I will get better acquainted.”

A scream of agony tears from my throat. “No, please! I love him, Scar, please!”

“So do I.” The blade bites deeper. “But should you hold on to a cancerous limb simply because you love it? No.”

Saint’s whines morph into barks that reverberate through the house, but I barely hear it. Cade staggers back, one hand clutching the protruding blade. His breath hitches, and for a moment, everything stops. I can’t scream anymore. Can’t move. I can only watch in horror as his eyes meet mine.

“You know your screaming unsettles Saint.” Then, gathering strength, Cade thunders each word with a strange cadence.

“Quiet, St. Michael! Derek is your father now!”

“You better believe that.” Scar snarls. “I’m done pining in your shadow.”

Two more barks and the beast falls silent.

My mind reels at Cade’s cryptic command. Then his knees buckle, and reality shatters the moment. His blood spreads across the tile—oh God, so much blood—a mockery of the future we’ll never have.

“Cade!” I thrash against Scar, but he holds me fast.

“Shh, Luciana.” His lips trace my temple. If the bite of the knife hadn’t frozen me in place, his chilling tone would have finished the job. “Let me put an end to this triangle from hell. Then you can give me something for the pain.”

“Until then . . . Watch. Watch as I set us both free.”

He jerks my head toward Cade, making me watch as the life drains from the man I love.