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“Anchor?” echoed Silas.
Tanner tilted his head. “You haven’t heard the rumors about Knox and Harper? Strange.”
Strange? More like doubtful, in Harper’s opinion. Knox had made it public, and news traveled fast in the demon world. But why would Silas play this weird game if he knew Knox was her anchor?
“I’m going to ask you a question,” Knox rumbled as he advanced on Silas. His inner demon wanted nothing more than to rip him apart, and Knox found the idea particularly tempting. But he needed something from the little shit, and he’d get it. “It would be good for you to answer me honestly. I don’t like it when people lie to me. It’s very disappointing.” Silas swallowed hard as Knox halted in front of him. He didn’t cower, to his credit. But his fear was easy to see, and it satisfied Knox’s demon. “Did someone put you up to this, Silas? Or was this little test your idea?”
“Test?” repeated Harper.
Knox didn’t move his gaze from Silas as he explained to Harper. “A test to see just how important you are to me. Just how protective I am and just how quick I’ll act on any issue you might have. The answer to that, Silas, is that she is very important to me. And it would be the height of stupidity to harm her by word or deed, because I will eviscerate anyone who dares to do so.”
Picking up movement near the doorway, Harper noticed that Raini was fanning her face; it was typical that she would find the dominant, protective routine arousing.
“This is the part where you assure me that you are no threat to Harper,” Knox told Silas.
“I’m no threat to her,” Silas swore.
“Good. Before you leave, I want the answer to my question.”
“This was my idea. It was wrong, and I apologize.”
Knox narrowed his eyes as he invaded the demon’s personal space. “I told you that I don’t like it when people lie to me. Why would you want to disappoint me so badly, Silas?”
Harper eyed Knox curiously. He looked merely mildly irritated, but his rage pulsed around the room, unnerving even her inner demon despite that it believed he wouldn’t harm it.
Silas, on the other hand, was sweating with fear. “I can’t tell you,” he mumbled, licking his lips nervously. “I would if I could, but I can’t. I’m under a compulsion.”
There was a long pause, so Harper asked, “Is he telling the truth?” That was when Silas fell to his knees, crying out in sheer agony. He rocked back and forth as he cradled his head, and she instantly knew what was happening. “You’ve thrust your mind into his,” she accused Knox. And that scared the shit out of her.
“The compulsion is strong,” commented Knox, withdrawing from Silas’ mind. “I sensed it. You are unable to give us a name. But I also learned something else, Silas. Do you know what that was? I learned that you were eager to do this. So eager that you volunteered.”
“He didn’t expect you to come,” Tanner theorized. “Did you?”
Silas got to his feet. “You don’t have loyalty to anyone outside your lair,” he said to Knox. “You don’t exactly keep people around you. I didn’t think you’d care.”
It was true that although Knox protected his lair fiercely, he only kept his sentinels around him. And now Harper.
“I didn’t think she’d be important to you,” continued Silas. “You’re too powerful to need an anchor.”
“Do you think flattery will get you out of this?” chuckled Tanner.
Drawing on every bit of strength he had, Knox resisted killing the bastard. His inner demon wanted it badly, reminded Knox how effortless and satisfying it would be. But Knox had to be smart about this. “There’s only one reason I’m allowing you to live…for now…and that’s that I need you to go back to whoever sent you and tell them just how suicidal it would be to harm my anchor. You should also let them know that if they or anyone else ever considers using her against me, they’ll pay in ways they don’t want to imagine.”
A paling Silas nodded and, after one last look at Harper, quickly scampered.
Devon stepped into the room with Raini. “That was really all a test?” Her face suddenly scrunched up and she hissed at Tanner, looking ready to pounce.
Pure male amusement took over the sentinel’s face. “What’s wrong, kitty?” Yeah, hellhounds and hellcats had an instinctive aversion to the other.
“Tanner, follow him,” ordered Knox. “I want to know who sent him.” The sentinel swiftly left and, taking a deep breath, Knox held out his hand to Harper. “Come.” He needed to get out of there, and he needed her with him to keep him calm. Levi should have arrived in the Bentley by now, considering the expertise of his driving skills.
“I’m at work,” she pointed out.
“But she can totally leave early.” Raini was such a bitch. “I’m Raini, by the way. That’s Devon.”
Knox gave them a simple nod of greeting before gripping Harper by the wrist. “Let’s go.”
Harper was impressed by how easily Knox shrugged off Raini’s succubae allure. Tanner, too, seemed to have withstood it very well. As Knox hauled her outside where Levi waited and practically shoved her into the Bentley, she cursed. “You might find this surprising, but I don’t like being dragged around.” He didn’t respond. “Where are we going?”
“My home.”
