Page 134 of Blood and Thorns

The guard opened the door, his arm sweeping out to the balcony that appeared to curl around the side of the opulent house. Stepping outside, I gazed at the grounds, the house surrounded in a thick forest. The moon was high in the sky, but the way was illuminated by the warm glow of candles protected from the wind by glass. The garden lightscast a soft glow, revealing figures moving several floors below.

They were tidying up, gathering what looked like scattered napkins and empty glasses. Tables and chairs were being collected and stacked neatly against the surrounding hedges, as if clearing the remnants of a party.

Turning the corner, I noticed a woman stood with the moon as a backdrop, her gaze on those below. On hearing our steps, she turned, a cigarette to her lips. She was beautiful, with her elegant gown and pearls around her throat. Her dark red hair was dyed, but even aged her face was memorable.

Her smile barely curved her lips, a hollow gesture stripped of warmth that was almost welcoming if it wasn’t for how her eyes narrowed.

They froze me in place, as if she was already debating what to do with me.

The same woman from Sebastian’s photograph. Margot Laurent.

“I don’t see it,” she said, glancing over to Gabriel as she breathed out a line of smoke. “I don’t see the obsession.”

“Why the hell didn’t you tell me you were grabbing her?” Gabriel snapped, his voice sharp with fury as he dragged me to the edge of the balcony, the balustrade coming to my waist. “You’re supposed to keep me in the loop.I’mmeant to know every step of the plan.”

“And you were supposed to take down Sebastian, yet here we are.”

“What the fuck did you want me to do? Sebastian’s empire is airtight. It didn’t matter how hard I looked; I couldn’t find anything concrete to stick without getting caught. I’ve already turned someone close to them. These things take time.”

One of the guards stepped closer, crowding us furtheragainst the stone balcony until the edge dug against my back.

“Tu peux partir,”Margot said, dismissing the guard with an elegant flick of her hand before returning to Gabriel. “Un petit garçon si incompétent et si pathétique. You couldn’t even shoot him right.”

“I was trying not to hit Arabella,” Gabriel continued with a sneer, resentment vibrating from him. “Besides, you said you wanted him alive.”

“Hmm.” Margot turned her attention to me, her smile turning cruel. “Ah yes, Arabella. You have no idea how much you’ve interfered.”

“Ara’s mine. That’s what we agreed,” Gabriel growled. “I destroy Sebastian’s reputation, and I get to keep her.”

“Yet you failed,” Margot snapped back, blowing out more smoke. “You came to me, Detective. I agreed because you weren’t afraid to get your hands dirty. You told me yourself you’d do whatever it took to deliver results, take Sebastian down so long as your name stayed clean.”

A muscle in Gabriel’s jaw feathered, his teeth clenched tight as he grabbed my upper arm in frustration.

“But I’m sure your boss would be very interested to know how flexible your morals have become,” she continued with a manipulative purr. “Oh, that’s right. You’ve been suspended, all because of your desperation to getherback.”

I went to step away, his anger radiating from him in waves when Gabriel’s fingers dug deeper. “Where do you think you’re going?” he snarled.

He pushed me slightly, the old stone crumbling at my back until my upper body hovered over the side.

“Gabriel!” I cried, my nails clinging to his wrist as he held me suspended above several stories. The wind picked up, whipping violently, almost as if it was trying to suck me over.

“This is all your fault,” he spat. “All I wanted was to make you my wife. But now you’ll have to settle on being just another one of my holes.”

“Fuck you,” I hissed, wincing at the bruises forming beneath his grip. “I’ve never been yours.”

He pulled me back over until I was flush against his chest, my heart thumping against my ribs as I tried to twist out of his hold. “You’ve always been fucking mine.”

I fought with everything in me, my panic at the height and the foreboding wind giving me strength to hit out. Gabriel let out a puff of air as I aimed for his wounded side once more, his grip loosening enough so I could shove him until it was his back that pressed against the edge. It creaked beneath his weight before crumbling entirely.

Gabriel fell back, his arms spreading as if to catch himself. But still he toppled backwards, straight over the balcony.

Without thinking, I lunged forward and grabbed his arm, the one barely clinging to the ledge.

“Pull me up!” Gabriel screeched as he dangled over nothing but air. “Ara!”

The stone continued to crack, spreading beneath his fingers.

“Detective, it’s been… disappointing,” Margot sighed, her breath hot against my nape. Without warning she pressed the end of her cigarette against Gabriel’s hand. His eyes widened a fraction, his fingers scrambling to keep hold as he yelped at the pain.