Page 125 of Blood and Thorns

Arabella swallowed, looking back at Chip as if he would help. I suppressed my growl, instead reaching over to cup her jaw.

“I want to see my father.”

There was no hesitation in my answer. “No.”

She stiffened beneath my palm. “You promised me freedom, or am I still just some toy to you?”

“Ara…”

“He’s still my father.”

“He tried to have you raped,” I snapped, my anger as vicious as a thousand hornets. “He hurt you.”

“I know.” Arabella straightened, holding her head higher. “But I came to you first. I could’ve just gone without telling you, but I didn’t.”

If she thought that comment would help with my fucking resentment…

“Please,” she added. “I need to see him. You keep asking me to stay, but this is what that means, Sebastian. Letting me choose. Letting me make decisions for myself. For you totrustme.”

Her words hit harder than I liked to admit. I wasn’t used to giving space, not when I’d built an empire on control. And letting her go, even for a moment, felt like loosening my grip on something I wasn’t ready to lose.

I clenched my jaw, forcing back the instinct to shut it all down. To lock the world out and keep her where I could keep her safe. But she was right, I needed to trust her if I didn’t want to lose her.

“You’ll take the twins,” I said finally, voice tight. “And Chip. No exceptions.”

Her upper lip twitched. “That’s a little bit overkill.”

I tried to calm my voice, not wanting to growl when she’d so easily agreed to my rules. “No exceptions.”

Her smile brightened her face, and I was glad that I’d removed the mask because she reached up on tiptoe to press her lips to mine.

Chapter 56

Arabella

My stomach was tight, made even more nervous with each familiar street we went down. I was almost thankful it was Malik sitting beside me, rather than his brother. Malik didn’t speak much, whereas Micah seemed to need to fill the silence.

The car rumbled to a stop as the garage appeared, the shutter down and the lights off. The late evening sun did little to ease my discomfort.

Three years I’d lived above, and I hoped after so much time being away that I’d feel some sort of comfort coming home. But there was nothing other than the need to leave and never look back.

“You’ll need to wait in the car,” I said, turning to find Malik frowning out the window.

“That’s not happening,” he said, his voice a deep timbre that vibrated the air between us.

“He won’t speak to me if you’re there.” My hand gripped the handle of the door, pushing it open before Chip could.

Micah appeared, his eyes darting between me and his twin. “We’re under strict instructions to protect you.”

“He’s my father,” I snapped, my chest aching as I glanced up at the window of the flat. The curtains were drawn, despite it being only late afternoon. “I just need to speak to him alone. He won’t hurt me.”

I wouldn’t let him. Never again.

“They’re right, Ara. I’ll escort you inside,” Chip said with an assurance that was unexpected.

“No, I’ve already said–”

“Ara, that’s enough,” he growled, his eyes colliding with mine. “You guys can scout the perimeter,” he continued when I stayed silent. “Meet back at the front door in five once it’s secured.”