Page 69 of Stone Temptation

“I won’t let them put you away,” I tried reassuring him.

He closed his eyes, sending back radio silence.

“Come on, Luke. We’ve got this.”

No answer, his jaw clenched.

Seth spoke, his voice offending my existence. “Luke must remove the amulet while we talk.” He held out his hand. “Give it to me.”

Luke kept his eyes closed, shoulders sagging deeper in defeat.

“We can’t allow secret conversations at a time like this,” Seth added.

I held up my hands, baffled by this turn. “Hold on. Rewind. You don’t get to make demands here, Seth.”

“Weaver Seth,” he corrected. “As your boss told you, know your place.”

“I’d rather eat cat sick than call you sir.”

He tutted. “The disrespect.”

I must have fallen into some alternate reality. “He should be arrested, ma’am.”

“As should Luke,” Seth countered.

“Piss off.”

“More disrespect. I’ll remember this.”

“I’m shaking in my boots.”

“Weak sarcasm, too.”

Carissa groaned loudly. “This was supposed to be a wonderful evening.”

“There, there,” Seth replied sympathetically.

She shook her head. “Get out, Asher. Wait in your room.”

“Ma’am, please…”

“Argue with me again and I’ll be forced to hold you in contempt. My evening is already a disaster. Don’t add to it.”

The betrayal, the disgust of her siding with a fucker like Seth put my rose quartz through the ringer, my control over my anger becoming fragile as fuck.

“But Luke is my mark.”

“And he will continue to be. Now, do as you’re told before I slam your head into the table.” She rubbed her temples, not meeting my eyes.

Having crossed too many lines with my boss tonight, I obeyed. My protective instincts complained like a hundred drills in my skull. I sucked in a sharp breath between grinding teeth.

“Luke?” my boss said. “Please remove the amulet.”

Pausing at the door, I watched him submit, not opening his eyes once.

I’d screwed up. I’d failed my mark already.

Man, my ribs hurt, my ego aching so hard I thought it might tear me apart.