Page 50 of Hide Little Traitor

“Drop the gun, man,” Ronan says as he steps up beside his brother.

“He needs to die,” Damon growls, his stance widening to steady himself.

“You are not shooting him with the love of my life in the way,” he growls, and I can’t help but look to the boy that was once my sun and moon.

“I’m a good shot.”

“I don’t fucking care,” Ronan grinds out.

Kingston’s arm tightens around me. I can’t tell if he’s hoping to use me as some kind of human shield or if he’s preparing to push me out of the way if it comes to it, but his warmth is strangely comforting, even with a gun aimed at us.

Ryker approaches from the left, each step slow and precise like a predator stalking his prey.

“Damon,” I say calmly, meeting his icy blue gaze. It’s been so long since I’ve truly allowed myself to look at him, and I’m once again struck by how different he looks from when we were teenagers. “Please don’t do this.”

“You’re protecting him after he kidnapped you and is forcing you to marry him?”

I suck in a breath, because those things are pretty damning, but they don’t negate everything he’s done for me. It doesn’t erase the nights he held me while I wished for death, whispering gentle reassurances that became all I had to cling to.

“Kingston saved my life,” I remind him. “He picked up the pieces you and Salvatore shattered me into and made sure I had somewhere safe to go where you wouldn’t find me. Him being an asshole now doesn’t erase the fact I would be dead right now if it weren’t for him.”

Ronan flinches at the harsh words, but I keep my eyes trained on Damon and the gun he’s holding.

“Mama,” Kingston murmurs in warning.

“Put the gun down, Damon. Please.” My voice shakes with each word that falls from my lips.

There’s a voice in the back of my mind reminding me that he has the opportunity to take out two people he hates, but I have to believe that he wouldn’t kill me.

I have to believe that what I feel for him isn’t one-sided.

Indecision passes through his eyes, and I hold my breath as Ronan takes a step closer to his brother.

Ryker reaches out and takes my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze, causing King to tighten his hold on me.

Jealous asshole.

“Please,” I whisper again. “Put the gun down.”

I’m pleading with someone that shut his emotions off years ago, and yet I swear a ghost of hesitation moves across his features.

“Move, Chloe. I don’t want to shoot you, but I will.”

Three rough growls fill the room at the threat, and my breath stutters in my chest.

The hopeful beat of my heart has no place here.

Kingston brought them here for a reason, which means he has something planned to get me down the aisle, and it sure as hell isn’t sharing me the way the Legion guys share Camilla.

The thought alone is enough to make me scoff.

I doubt there are four men on earth who hate each other more than they do.

“You won’t shoot me.”

He glares over the barrel. “You sure about that, Duchess?”

“If you wanted me dead, you’ve had more than enough opportunities to kill me. You could have killed me ten years ago, or the day you stepped back into my life, or when I was back in the cellar. And yet here I am,” I challenge. “Put the gun down.”