Page 254 of Lethal King

My instinctively hackles rise.

What did I miss?

“Apparently, he has a gift for us,” Rian casually responds.

“It better not be a wedding gift,” I grumble, curling my fists. “That fucker is obsessed with marriage.”

“If he wants to keep his head, he’ll never bring up marriage around us again.”

“Bastard.”

We watch as Adriano disappears behind a small door at the far side of the room. When he’s gone, Rian turns to me.

“I hear Gabriel’s heading back out west tomorrow,” he says, his ocean blue eyes searching mine. “Do you think you’re going to be alright?”

“I’ll be fine,” I huff. Though, it’s only half true. “Our little reunion was nice, but he’s got a family to raise and an empire to run. If there’s one thing I hate more than a quick goodbye, it’s feeling like I’m holding someone back.”

“That’s something we’ve got to work on, angel.”

“What?”

“The idea that you could ever hold anyone back.”

Reaching out, Rian takes my hand. The warmth of his grip calms a growing anxiety I didn’t know I had.

“Your sweet talk isn’t going to work on me,” I lie.

“There’s nothing sweet about it,” Rian insists. “If anything, I’d call it tough love. No one’s allowed to doubt you, Roz. Not even yourself.”

“And if I do?”

“Then you’ll be punished.”

With a gentle tug, Rian pulls me into his massive body. I hit his hard chest with a warm thud. His pulse is slow and steady.

“Always giving me what I want,” I play.

For a moment, Rian’s powerful warmth lulls me into a state of peace. But peace has never been able to stick to me for long. Even now.

A thread of darkness curls around the calmness.

I reluctantly push myself off of Rian.

“We have to remember to ask Adriano about Tytus,” I remind him.

“I haven’t forgotten.”

How could he?

Tytus is still missing. And I’ve brought it up nearly every day since he disappeared.

We’ve had a few tips, here and there. Hell, we even get a sighting every now and then, too. But it’s hard to say how credible it all is.

At the very least, I’m past thinking my brother is dead, but an even worse fear has wormed its way into the back of my happiness.

What if Tytus isn’t dead? What if he’s simply decided that I’m dead to him?

Fuck.