Page 103 of Blood and Thorns

He blinked at me, clearly unamused with my joke. “I’ll be your shadow until Mr Devereaux comes back.”

“Ah, so you’re my latest prison guard. There’s me thinking you’re here to just keep me company.”

Miles’s expression tightened, his eyes darting to the side before returning to me. “I’m whatever Mr Devereaux asks me to be.”

I didn’t grace him with a reply, instead trying to distract myself from the vicious fight in the centre by studying the crowd instead. I really didn’t understand how people could get joy out of watching two grown men scrap at each other.

Clearly, I was in the minority, because the audience became fevered the more blood that spilled, even if it soaked against Langdon’s long-sleeved shirt. He was beautiful in the way he moved, but he was a tease. Egging his opponent on with little skips and smirks. Twisting out the way at the last minute before rapidly signing what I assumed were creative insults.

Despite reading through the BSL book twice, I couldn’t understand a single hand gesture.

Langdon took a particularly hard hit, his head whipping violently to the side. Unable to watch any longer I jumped to my feet.

Miles caught my upper arm in a bruising grip. “Where the fuck do you think you’re going?”

“I need to pee, or is that not allowed?”

“Careful with the attitude,” he growled.

“Get off my arm, Miles,” I warned, the urge to lash out curling my fingers into a fist. Except my knuckles still ached from where I’d struck Lang. “Sebastian gets jealous.”

“Of course, wouldn’t want to upset your owner.” Hereleased me, my skin pulsing as blood rushed back. “You’ll have to use the other bathroom; this one is out of order.”

“Sure.” He was my shadow as I passed through the doors into the main club. The atmosphere was electric, the lights dimmed and the music loud. I wasn’t so out of place this time, my dress fitting in with the others. But I could still feel curious eyes tracking me as I made my way towards the bathroom at the back of the room.

Something grabbed my arm, and before I could react, I was pulled to the side. I turned, ready to fight.

All the blood left my face. “Dad?” It took me a moment for my muscles to unlock before I threw myself at him. “How are you? Are you okay?” A thousand questions bubbled, and then my stomach dipped. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“Easy…” Miles warned before Dad untangled himself from my arms.

“Just give us a minute.” I expected him to haul me away, but Miles simply nodded before stepping to the side. “Please.”

Miles pursed his lips. “Two minutes.”

Dad waited until Miles had stepped away, pulling me closer to his table. “We don’t have much time.” Picking up a drink, he handed it over. “Here, drink and smile before we draw attention.”

I gripped the glass hard enough to break. “Why are you here? This isn’t safe.”

“I’ve worked out protection for us,” he continued quietly. “I have a plan.”

“What do you mean you have a plan?” Dad looked unwell, his eyes sunken, and he’d definitely lost some weight. There was even a yellowed bruise along his jaw, turning his skin a sickly shade. “Dad?”

“Trust me, Ara, we’ll never have to worry about anything ever again. I promise, I can fix this.”

Dad’s eyes moved behind me, and I knew it wouldn’t be long until Miles’s patience ran out. I pushed us further into the shadowed corner.

“Smile,” he hissed, clinking his glass against mine. “Drink, pretend you’re enjoying yourself.”

I took a mouthful, the alcohol burning as it went down. “What are you talking about?”

He leaned in, voice low and razor-sharp. “You’re going to kill him.”

My blood froze, and a tightness gripped my chest. “What? No. Absolutely not.”

Dad’s brows pulled together, his jaw locked in a hard line. “You agreed to take my place.”

“I never agreed tohurthim,” I snapped, the glass shaking slightly in my hand.