Page 86 of The Devil's Dilemma

“I’ve no idea, but they started arriving about an hour ago. Maybe less.”

Right about the time we’d initiated the bond, but how could they know? Unless it was tied to the angel mark.

They’d known when it was broken. I could only assume they knew when it had merged with mine, for that was what the horns on Austin’s chest must have meant.

The devil’s mark, and once the bond was complete, the mark would be an amalgamation of both, forever adorning his chest.

With it would come its own set of complications, but that was for another day. We had to get through this one first.

We made it to the lobby, and I peered through the glass doors. The lights in the car park illuminated at least one hundred people.

“Sound the fire alarm and get everyone out of here,” I said to Conrad. “This could get ugly, and I don’t want anyone witnessing it.”

“On it, boss.”

The thought crossed my mind to remove Austin from the fray, to open a portal to anywhere but here, but that would cause too many problems. For one, I’d have to stay with him, and we had no idea how long we’d be away. And Austin wouldn’t want to leave his grandpa, even though he could lose his life today. I knew that much.

“Don’t even think about it. I’m not leaving.” His look was one of defiance. Yup, I’d been right.

“Then we need to fight our way out of this. Send a message that it’s over. I just don’t know how to do that right now.”

“Together, we’ll sort it out. You and me. We’re bonded. We’re stronger together.”

It wasn’t a battle cry, but it struck me deep inside.

We were stronger together, and fuck me if I didn’t feel it.

I pulled him close and slammed my mouth to his, kissing him with everything I had.

“Let’s do this.”

I threw open the doors and stepped out into the night. I would burn every fucker to the ground to save Austin.

Chapter twenty

Austin

Isized up thegroup of people outside the casino. How many were gathered there, every one of them intent on killing me?

I should have turned tail and run, taken Dante up on his unspoken offer to take me somewhere I’d not be found, but I couldn’t do that and leave the only person I cared about behind.

Who knew what would befall Grandpa if I was no longer around? Nick had already threatened his life. Who was to say any of these wankers wouldn’t do the same, given half the chance?

No, my place was here, and whether I lived or died, I’d do it for him, and maybe I’d get to see my momma again. Wouldn’t that be a blessing in itself?

I stood as close to Dante as possible, aware of the consequences if we were split up. The bond had definitely got stronger. Dante had only seen the mark grow, but I felt it inside me, flourishing with every passing moment.

His friend Mal had talked about us not being able to keep our hands off each other, but he’d not mentioned the most important part. Once the bond had been created, it continued to grow unbidden inside me. The sex definitely helped, but it wasn’t the only thing.

It needed nurturing, to be tended to carefully until it was fully formed. That was mainly down to me and whether I wanted it. Whether I wanted to remain with Dante. The bond would know and reject him with no ill effects for either of us.

I’d asked Dante if the bond could be broken, but now I knew that if I chose to, I could sever the bond at any time. But was that what I wanted?

Did I want to break it? I wasn’t sure I did. When I lay in Dante’s arms, a warmth had suffused me, a feeling of love and contentment, the likes I’d not felt in a long time.

Not since Momma had died. When she’d gone, she’d left a hole inside me.

With the advent of the bond, it had begun to close ever so slightly, leaving me with the irrepressible feeling this was the right thing to do.