Page 124 of All Your Bloody Lies

Giving her a soft nod, I smile, “How’d you become such a guru in relationships?”

She playfully twirls the loose strands of her hair and flutters her lashes, “I definitely don’t get that from Phiny-bear.”

We share a laugh, “Did you ask her about seeing the movie?”

My phone rings, “No, but I’ll ask her. Nearly got to it, then I got distracted.”

I’m taken by surprise, completely out of the moment, that it’s Marcos calling me. It’s a video call, which is strange, and it’s coming through the screen in my car.

Before answering it, I swap to the driver’s camera only and hit the green button. “Hey—”

My entire body freezes, and I shift my hand quickly over to Sydni to cover her mouth. I don’t think my heart is capable of beating faster, and every part of me is on fire, itching as if my skin is being torn apart.

“Ah, Kairhyse, thanks for answering on the first call.”

He has the phone tilted, and the dark walls and furniture aren’t the things that are causing me to shake.

It’s not the flowers strewn across the floor that I had placed on the fireplace.

It’s my Xera, on her knees, behind him, bloody and battered.

“What the fuck are you doing there, Marcos?” I’ve completely missed the green light, I think, I’m so consumed with the image on the screen I can’t even bring my foot off the brake.

I can’t see who has her hair in their grasp, but I can tell it’s a female by the daintiness of the wrist and her nails.

“You know, I’m not going to answer that. You are just going to listen for a moment. Also, stay at that stoplight.” Fucking shit. My nostrils flare, and I squeeze the steering wheel. “I have to say, I’m very disappointed in you.”

“I do not give a fuck what you are. Release her, or so help me—”

Marcos clicks his tongue against his teeth, “No talking, okay?” Behind him, whomever has Xeraphine gripped places a gun to her temple. While I know she’ll come back, it only will put her at a disadvantage to fight back.

Wait… why isn’t she fighting?!

“Good boy, now, as I was saying. I’m very disappointed in you. I was hoping that when my father died, you would be my loyal number one, right at my side ruling Hause Sidence. Everything about you is strong—nearly perfect, except for your weakness for a mere woman that doesn’t even belong to you.” He sucks in a deep breath and shakes his head. “I knew I smelled her on you that day. I wanted to think it was a coincidence, maybe I was just daydreaming of my forgotten Xeraphine. But, when I saw you show up in the mountains, getting out of your car at the rangers station, and then carrying her back no more than an hour or so later—I knew I wasn’t mistaken.”

“Kai…” My gaze drifts back to Xeraphine; her head is down, but it’s her voice. She’s whispering nearly too low for me to hear, but I can at least make it out. “He’s Lars…”

“I would rather not have to put her back in the ground, you see.” No, I wasn’t going to fucking sit here. I flick my gaze up to make sure no cars are coming, and I slam on the gas.

Except, we don’t move.

“Yeah, you see, cars really need regular maintenance, Kairhyse.”

“They are going to put me back, Kai.” I can hear the break in her words.

Why isn’t she fighting? I don’t understand! I don’t want to scream at her to do so because there is obviously something going on. She wouldn’t just willingly…

No, shewouldn’t… she fucking wouldn’t…

“I’m sorry…” Her voice cracks, and it comes out louder than she intended, because Marcos turns over his shoulder to look at her.

“Don’t you fucking look at her!” I seethe. “Please… I’ll do anything. Don’t do this… What do you want?”

I was slowly moving my hand to the door handle—shit, I can't leave Sydni.

“Nothing from you. Well, before I didn’t want anything from you. Now, you’re going to play a crucial role in this game. So, really, thank you, Kairhyse.”

The hand gripping her hair tears her head back.