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“Rune.”
“Tell me.” A growl, nothing but a wild animal now.
Her eyes closed, cringing, her head shaking.
“Elle.” He leaned in, his lip curled. “Tell me or don’t tell me, I’m going after that bastard.”
Her eyes flew wide open. “You can’t.”
“Then tell me I’m wrong. Tell me he wasn’t the one.”
Her fingers grabbed the lapels of his coat, panic in her voice. “He’s not the one.”
“You’re lying.” His eyes narrowed at her. “I’ve spent my life watching people from the shadows, Elle, and I know when they’re lying. You’re lying. I also know that man—he’s a bloody sick beast. I saw it instantly.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Des knows who the bastard is.” His head shook. “I already sent him a letter for the truth of the matter and if I have to wait for his answer, my fury is only going to multiply in the ensuing days.”
“Rune—”
His jaw set hard. “You know he’ll tell me exactly who the bastard is. So let’s just skip that step, Elle.”
Her hands tore away from his coat and she jabbed a step backward, tugging at his hold on her. “I’m lying because of what you’re about to do. I can see it in your eyes.”
“You cannot even imagine the darkness I have in me, Elle, much less see it.” The words cut out into the air, the rage in him spinning into a storm. “And that darkness is not about to allow me to let this go. Don’t let it fester and get to a place where I can’t control it.”
“Fine—it was Mr. Sangton.”
Rune let her go, his hand dropping to his side as he stilled, letting the fury gather in his veins, sharpening it to a deadly point that demanded blood.
Her right hand whipped out and she grabbed his forearm, her fingernails digging in through the wool of his black tailcoat. “But you cannot do anything, Rune. Not for me. Swear to me you won’t approach him. I am done with Mr. Sangton and he knows it. It is over. Please. Let it be. You can’t do anything.”
He ripped her hand away from his arm, his words ice. “Don’t tell me what the blasted hell I can or cannot do. You know I’m no stranger to killing—those demons entered my life a long time ago and have never sought to leave me, so killing that bastard in a duel will be nothing.”
“A du—” She gasped a breath, her hands flattening on her belly like she was attempting to hold herself up. Her head began to shake, her face crumbling. “No—you can’t. Not a duel. No. You don’t know what will happen and I cannot be the cause of your death. Let this be over. He will leave me alone. I swear it.”
Rune charged forward, leaning over her, his right hand lifting and ripping down the scarf she’d so carefully wrapped about her neck. “Tell me you don’t still feel these bruises.” His fingers slid across the angry marks and she flinched as his words seethed through gritted teeth. “It’s not over. Not by far. Not for that bastard.”
“Rune—”
He spun from her, yanking the door open and sending it smashing into the adjoining wall.
“Rune!”
He was down the hall before her next scream of his name could echo along the stones.
There wasn’t any stopping him.
He was going to kill that bastard.
{ Chapter 18 }
Blast.He’d gone outside and circled around.
And he’d found Sangton.
Elle heard the yelling before she found them in the rose gardens. Rune’s low rumble of a voice. Sangton’s higher pitched squeal.
