Page 16 of The Fate of Black Hearts

“But not accepted. Did you know him?”

“No, I didn’t know the demons.”

He rolled his eyes.

Her hope he’d drop the questions about the confrontation with the mage died. She was glad Efrem hadn’t seen her kiss him or dance with him.

“You ditched the rendezvous to shoot demons and chase after some hot piece of ass. Why?”

She didn’t open her eyes. “It’s a dead end.”

“Uh-huh.” Moments of tense silence stretched between them. “He had his hand on your ass.”

“I had a knife to his throat and my knee in his balls.”

“Yet, he still breathes. Anyone else?—”

“He’s been watching me for a while. I won’t see him again.”Liar.They were far from sorted. He had Lyra’s eyes.

Her mind kept replaying the night she got free of her mate, Willem. That long-ago horrendous night. She just couldn’t quite remember what happened. Inside her fuzzy memory, she knew someone helped her. She took a few deep breaths and focused on the memory. She’d smelled…his soap. He’d been there.

“If you’re not interested in him that way, would you mind if I?—”

“He’s off-limits,” she interrupted.

“Uh-huh. Next time I bet you’ll let him touch a lot more than your ass.”

“It’s sorted.”

“Since you’ve sorted it, that’s excellent.” Efrem’s words communicated anything but acquiescence. He stood to return to the cockpit.

“I expect a dossier on who he is and what he’s capable of by tomorrow.”

With a satisfied smirk, he nodded. “I already hacked all the cameras in the area. I’ll let you know what information exists on him.”

Chapter Six

1902

“She’s dead?” Evie blocked Willem as he stormed through the drafty one-story country house on the outskirts of Kalisz. She realized he wasn’t angry that the mother of his illegitimate child, his one-time lover, died in childbirth. He was pissed Evie had found out and was here, in his lover’s home.

He threw his hand above Evie’s head to slam against the wall and cage her in with his huge body. “You should not be here.” He punched the opposite fist into the wall near her ear, shattering plaster. “This is my business, not yours.”

She flinched, expecting the next blow to hit her.

“You disobeyed. You were not to leave the house, not in your state.” He put a less than gentle hand on her rounded belly. His brown eyes narrowed, but his pupils remained dilated. His eyes were red rimmed from whatever kicked-up opioid he’d just injected himself with.

“You dragged Roman into this.” She squinted hatred at him, not that he’d pick up on it in his drugged-out state. He probably wouldn’t hurt the child in her belly. He might, however, break something else on her body—like he’d done before.

I’m here to make sure my ten-year-old stays safe.Out loud she said,“He’s the one who shouldn’t be here.”

He fisted his right hand. She put her arms over her rounded belly in case he lost control during the strike. She didn’t break their standoff. As usual, he glared as if he couldn’tseeher. As if he she meant nothing to him.

Roman grabbed his moving fist and stopped it from connecting.

Willem spun and nailed Roman in the nose. “Learn your priorities.” Willem pushed her away from him so hard she ricocheted off the wall. “Have Efrem take you both home.”

Roman caught her before she fell and whispered, “Get out of here before he hurts you again.”