Page 76 of Betrayed By Sin

“You’re leaving,” he says. Not a question. A fact.

“I am.” My voice doesn’t waver, though my stomach twists.

Zeik looks back out at the gardens, exhaling slowly. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this.”

I grip the handle of my suitcase tighter. “You mean me finding out I was just some pawn in another one of Cameron’s schemes?”

His jaw tightens. “You think I wanted this? You think I wanted to trap you?” His voice is low, controlled, but it’s fraying at the edges.

I cross my arms, lifting my chin. “Didn’t you?”

His gaze snaps to mine, sharp and dark. “No. This wasn’t me, Magnolia. This was Cameron. He came to me. He said if we didn’t unite, the Russians would bleed us both dry. He swore binding our families through you was the only way to keep you safe. My parents agreed and that was that.”

Safe. The word cuts through me like glass.

“And you agreed,” I whisper. “Without asking me. Without even giving me a choice.”

Zeik looks away, jaw working, shoulders tense. “What choice did I have? The Russians don’t care about your name or mine. They’ll burn through everything, and Cameron, he thought this was the only way to hold the line. You act like I have choices in this world, we’re not that different, Magnolia. I didn’t want to betray Sin either.”

I shake my head, anger and disbelief tangling in my chest. “You both decided my life without me in the room. You thought you were protecting me, but you were just locking me in a cage.”

Silence stretches between us, thick and heavy.

Finally, Zeik’s voice drops, barely audible. “Maybe. But I never wanted to hurt you. My parents will be here soon,” he looks down at my suitcase, a frown teetering his lips. “I won’t let this fall on you.”

I clutch my suitcase tighter, the ring on my finger burning like fire. “You already did.”

And with that, I step past him. “This won’t end like you think it will.” Zeik warns, shaking his head.

NINETEEN

Cameron stands across from me, arms crossed, jaw clenched hard enough to crack stone.

Zeik leans on the banister, cool, unreadable, but his gaze flicks to me.

Bria lingers by the stairs, worry painting her face.

Sin stays beside me, steady as granite, his hand never leaving mine.

And my mother commands the center, without raising her voice.

“We will speak,” she says. “Not shout. Not storm away. Speak. And listen. Because this family will not survive another fracture.”

Cameron’s scoff slices through the air. “What’s left to say? She betrayed us. She betrayed me. She ran off and married him!” His finger jabs toward Sin.

“I didn’t betray anyone!” My voice trembles, but I force it strong. “I chose my life. My heart. I wasn’t going to be bartered off like livestock.”

“You think that’s what this was?” Cameron’s voice rises, sharp and breaking. “We were trying to protect you, Magnolia! Protect all of us!”

“Protect me by selling me? Do you know how selfish that sounds?”

His chest heaves. He hesitates, just long enough to let me see the guilt in his eyes.

“You think I wanted to give you to Zeik?” His voice shatters. “You think I wanted that for you?” He looks over to him. “No offense.”

Zeik’s hands rise in a no worries movement.

“Then why?” I press. My voice is a blade. “Tell me why, Cameron.”