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Nazyn’s massive hand rose and stopped him dead in his tracks. He shoved Richard back so hard, he fell to the floor.
Nazyn gently caressed the back of Darcy’s hand with his, as a show of support. Instinctually, she came closer to him.
He looked down at where their fingers barely touched and froze at the sight. His palms had changed. They shined gold.
Nines, Zaryn had been right.
Itwasreal.
He placed his palm on the small of Darcy’s back before anyone noticed–or filmed it.
Richard lay there, a manic look in his eye. “You will pay for this.”
“No, I don’t think I will,” Darcy said, completely devoid of emotion.
She was a beautiful thing to behold, strong and merciful at the same time. Nazyn would not have had her self-control. He would have ruined Richard. Squashed him before he could do any more damage.
But Darcy believed in a different kind of revenge. The one that burned you from the inside out.
“Have fun in jail, asshole.” With that, she turned and walked out of the room, triumphant. Richard could do nothing but watch her go.
As soon as Darcy was out of earshot, Nazyn’s grin vanished. He stalked toward Richard and crouched down, careful to keep the camera aimed at his back. He reveled in the fact that the man slunk further away from him. Good. He needed to learn fear.
“The entire world is watching, so I won’t make the same mistake as you,” Nazyn said in a deadly whisper meant only for Richard’s ears. “But know that you would have been dead right now if not for Darcy.”
Nazyn wanted to enact his own revenge on Richard so badly. But appeasing Darcy was more important. If she asked for mercy, he would give it, for now. But Richard would not be safe once they left the premises of this hotel, if he ever put her in danger again.
This, he promised.
27
DARCY
Still high off her success against Richard, which had truly been years in the making, Darcy watched in anticipation as the lights on the main stage of the Forum dimmed.
Between the police arriving on the scene, Darcy having to give an official statement, the reporters hounding her, Nazyn, and every other Deruzian for interviews, the entire presentation had been delayed by four hours.
“I don’t know anything about Richard Dyson,” Deryg had said to the reporters circling him. “But Deruzians do not take kindly to threats. Nazyn was restrained. If it were me, I would’ve–”
“What Alien Inc.’s head of security wants to say,” Rynar had intervened immediately. “Is that Alien Inc. will protect its employees against dangers, even ones from within the industry. We will let the human authorities handle Richard Dyson’s case–for now.”
Deryg had grunted in agreement. “Protect at all costs.”
Luckily, the reporters mercifully left the Deruzians alone once Richard was escorted out of the hotel. In handcuffs. Darcy had stood in front of the window and watched him go, his jacket pulled so high up, only his narrowed eyes were visible.
She wouldn’t kid herself. Richard had enough money and leverage to delay his trial. Then his lawyers would probably get him off with two years in jail and a hefty fine. Meanwhile, his business would still run and his pockets would still be filled.
But his image, the one thing he cared about in this world, was gone. He was no longer the brilliant CEO, the prodigy, the trailblazer, the genius.
The mask had not only slipped, it had shattered. Everyone saw him for who he was. A liar, a thief, and a coward who struck in the shadows, where nobody else was looking.
As she watched him being escorted by the police, Richard must have sensed her eyes on him. He turned and there was nothing but hatred in his gaze. Revenge. Darcy held eye contact until the police dragged him away.
She knew Richard had means of enacting vengeance. The Inquisitor was one of them. He still had a large company and thousands of employees.
But Darcy was done hiding and cowering–and she wasn’t alone this time. Nazyn had come up behind her, a comforting presence that dragged her back to reality as he informed her the presentation was starting.
And this reality wasawesome. She stood in the front row, along with Alissia. All humans had been instructed to keep a distance of fifteen feet between them and the stage. As the lights dimmed, blurs began running on the stage. The Deruzians were setting up. Even though her human eyes couldn’t track their figures, she instinctively knew which one was Nazyn’s.
