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No more heroic need to be good.
There’s no need to hesitate.
Tell him…
“Out of curiosity’s sake…” I did my best not to snarl as Ian angled himself down. “What would I have to do to stop all of this?” I fiddled with a discarded napkin, unable to keep my fingers still.
Victor huffed. “Nothing. You betrayed me. You came into my home under false pretences and thought you could take me down.” His blue eyes darkened. “Is your name even Henri Ward?”
And there it was.
The question I didn’t even know I’d been waiting for.
The question that would either save me or ruin me.
Leaning back, ever so fucking grateful my heartrate slowed and my hands stopped shaking, I shook my head. “Nope.”
“No?” Victor cocked his head. “What do you mean, no?”
“I mean, Ward is not my last name.”
“Yet another falsehood it would seem.” Victor sighed as if he truly hated everyone. “Tell me, if it’s not too much of a fucking inconvenience, Henri, what is your real name, and why should I care?”
I flexed my shoulders.
I cricked my neck.
Ian went to thrust.
“Order him to stop, and I’ll tell you everything.” I raised an eyebrow. “And I promise, you’ll want to hear what I have to say.”
Chewing on the inside of his cheek, Victor pondered for a moment before waving his gun at Ian. “Wait.”
“But I’m—”
“I said wait.” He cocked his chin.
Ian muttered a few choice curses as he backed up and stuffed his erection into his jeans.
Ily didn’t move.
Didn’t even open her eyes.
I was grateful.
Grateful she wasn’t going to be a distraction because I really couldn’t afford to be distracted as I said goodbye to every future I’d envisioned and embraced a new one.
“My last name is one you’ve heard of.” I smiled as cold as him. “Apparently, you’ve known of my brother for quite some time.”
Intrigue flared in his eyes. Victor leaned forward a little. “Your brother?”
“I’m not a cop.”
“Even if that’s true, it won’t save you.”
“You’re right that I was sent here by someone. I’ve admitted that a few times now. I was ordered to report your location, count your slaves, and summon mercenaries to slaughter you.”
Victor’s gaze flickered to the guards.
The guests all took a big step back, waiting for the bang.
Ily stiffened on the table.
I shrugged. “I’m not afraid to admit my intentions toward you weren’t honourable, and for that, I’m sorry.”
Ignoring my apology, Victor’s face etched with ruthlessness. “You’re really not helping your case.”
“I’m not, am I?” I smiled thinly. “I did my best to do what I was tasked with. I tried to ignore the allure of this place and pretend I wasn’t seduced by the very real, very uncomfortable realisation that I’m more like you than I wanted to admit. More like you than him, anyway.”
“Him?”
“My brother.”
“Ah yes…the suspense is killing me.”
“I came to end you, Victor Grand, but…I’ve changed my mind.”
“Oh, you have, have you?” His fingers traced the trigger of his gun. “And don’t think I didn’t notice the use of my surname. Only a very few people know it. So…who told you?”
“My brother.”
“Yes, this fucking brother. Who the hell is he?”
“He shares the same curse I do, but…he decided to keep fighting it like a lifelong disease. Me? I’ve decided to stop chasing a cure. I’m done. You helped free me last night. You and Ily…and now that I’m fully infected, I’m aware there’s no other place for me.”
“You’re definitely infected with something,” he muttered. “Insanity would be my first guess.”
“Aren’t we all a little mad?” I laughed. “But at least we accept it, unlike some.”
“Some being…?”
“My brother.”
“Fuck you and your dramatic delays, Ward. Get to the goddamn point!”
“I like it here, Vic.” I smirked. “I like who I am here.”
“How nice.” He smiled with unveiled sarcasm. “I’ll be sure to put that in the review book.”
“I like part owning Ily, and I like being me.”
“Doesn’t change—”
“I don’t want to die.”
Victor snorted. “Pity—”
“I want to live, Vic.”
“That won’t—”
“I want to stay.”
“Your enjoyment of my home is flattering but—”
“I am what you see. You weren’t wrong. And I wasn’t acting. I’m a sadistic son of a bitch, and I can actually accept that now…thanks to you.”
“Lies—”
“Truth.” Leaning forward, I draped my arm over Ily’s bare back and clamped my fingers over his wrist. Smiling with every blackness inside me, I squeezed him. “I want to stay, not just for this weekend or a single month. I want to stay forever. I want that lifetime membership. And in order for you to trust me…I’ll tell you who I truly am.”
Victor sucked in a breath, glanced at my hand locked on him, then raised a single eyebrow. “Go on then, I’ll bite. Tell me…who are you?”
My soul shivered.
My heart thundered.
And all I said was, “I’m Henri Mercer, brother to Q Mercer, and it’s a pleasure to officially meet you.”
