“The only thing that works on them is paranorm claws or magic blasts. Bullets can’t pierce their hide.”
“But these might, and the risk was worth taking.”
“And what about the man Yanni killed? You’re going to tell me that had something to do with the war too?”
Adonis sucked in a deep breath. This one was different, a more personal matter. No, he couldn’t tell her it was only for the battle with Skuld, but he wasn’t going to lie to her either.
“No.”
“See?” She shook her head and wrapped her lab coat around her body. “Let’s just end this here, Adonis.”
“There is noendinga mate bond, and look at how quick you are to do it. You could have stormed into that room and asked me, demanded I explain, but you want to ruin weeks of work and leave instead?”
“I have what I promised the Alphas, and I can make sure my wolves are protected with what’s already been created.”
“Iam one of your wolves,weare your wolves, Fabiana.”
She glared at him. “Who did you kill?”
Adonis gritted his teeth. It wasn’t his story to tell, but he’d be damned if he let her walk away. If he said no, if he denied telling her, she’d create whatever she wanted in her head. He couldn’t risk that.
“Hilberto.”
“Who is that?”
“A man who decided to try to touch what he shouldn’t have.”
“Then we’re finished here.”
“My mother.”
She paused. “What?”
“He was one of my father’s rivals back in the old days. He figured if he could take my mother, he’d have me at a disadvantage and be able to barter with me. He took her; I found him and killed him. She’s on her way here so I can keep her safe.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? Adonis, if you had spoken to me about any of this, I might have agreed. You took that chance out of my hands and hid it from me.”
“The jobs would have been done with or without the suits, Fabiana. I didn’t have you make them just for those purposes. But with them, I could ensure nothing was traced back to me. It isn’t our way to tell our mates everything we do, not in this life. We talked about that.”
“It didn’t have to be in a meeting,” she argued. “We could have been in our room. Instead of one of the many times you were fucking me into oblivion, we could have had a conversation about what was going on. You know, since you wanted to use my invention.”
“Would it have made any difference? Would you have let me use the suits against your pristine ideals?”
“Don’t turn this back on me.”
“Then don’t paint me a villain. You wanted to ignore what your suits are really for—they are made to kill. Dress it up in advantage or protection, but when the Alphas and the others wear them, they are fighting tokill.”
“To protect theirfamilies. To protect theircities!”
“That’s what I was doing!” he roared. “Who do you think Encantado belongs to, Fabiana? Who paid for the renovations and brought in the teams? Who donated so Kalinda could make the intake of new Mages and paranorms easier? Who do you think ensured we never faced the FBMC like other cities do?”
He stalked over to her, mad enough to fucking blow up the place. It wasn’t that he didn’t understand her anger, but her reaction told him she was still running scared and looking for a chance to see him in a negative light so she could escape before her heart broke.
Too late.
She’d ruin him if she left now, and after having found her and fallen for her, he wasn’t willing to let her run away.
Fabiana struggled against his hold as he pulled her from the lab and into the sun. Soldiers moved back and forth, but they hesitated when they saw them. He approached the nearest one.
