In a fraction of a second, I saw the blankets fall away, revealing the red hair of the infant in her arms.
I knew that it was Eva.
“Oh my God,” I cried, jerking my arm with all my strength. Troy’s brutal grip dug bruises into my skin. “Eva! She’s here! West-”
“Roam, stay there!” he shouted, but the moisture in his eyes caught the light from the crystal chandelier.
He knows that it’s her.
The distress in his face was evident; any hope for retaliation, for defending me with arms or violence, was lost.
He would not risk her life.
“Yes. The child that will save the world, end the prophecy… the bringer of the sun.” He took a step toward her, my upper arm crushed in his grasp.
Deep within, the fiery madness that stoked my soul exploded into something that I had no time to comprehend.
The very thought of Troy’s hands on my child sent flames to my core, and I turned to face him, clenching my fists and blocking his path.
“You will not touch her.”
He raised his eyes, smiling in surprise. “I won’t?”
“Give me a sword. Make this even.” I repeated the words from my nightmare.
He laughed from his throat, scoffing. “Are you sure that you don’t want a screwdriver?”
I clenched my jaw. “A sword.”
Chuckling, he shook his head. “Little Roam. Have you ever held a medieval sword in your hands? It weighs more than you do.”
“Give me a sword. I will defend my daughter’s life.”
“Roam!” West shouted from behind me. I held my palm flat, not turning to him.
“I’ve had enough of this, West, all of this. I won’t watch him hurt her.” My throat was on fire, and I let the pain translate into my words.
Troy wrenched me against his chest, his eyes darkening with insanity as his ravenous eyes raked over me. “It’s not you that ends this, it’s your child. Your bastard.”
I gasped, shaking my head. “If you hurt her, I will die. Either by the hands of your guards, or by my own hands. Either way, I’m gone.”
“You will-”
“How badly do you want me, Troy?” I pleaded, forcing myself to press against his chest. His heavy-lidded gaze clouded with hunger, and I made myself continue. “My obedience? Is it worth the life of a harmless infant?”
My persuasive words gave him pause. With all my strength, I lifted my fingers to his face, lightly tracing his cheekbone.
He growled beneath his breath, wrapping his arm around me and tugging me up, against him.
My words shook with terror. “How badly do you want me?”
His eyes, mirrored pools of ice, heated with the licentious intrigue of my words. “You would stay here, without the child?”
I nodded, shivering as his breath touched my neck. “Give her to West. Let them live. I will rule with you.”
“You will be seventeen… for as long as I let you live.” He mouthed the idea as it occurred to him, and I almost lost my composure as his tongue touched his lips.
I nodded, gripping his shirt. “When you’ve had enough, it’s as simple as… snapping my neck.”
His tone turned restless as he pressed himself to me. “And hunting down your daughter.”
I froze, shivering. “I know that West will protect her.”
The gauntlet was laid before him.
I knew then that I’d chosen exactly the right sadistic words to win him over.
He stared at me for what seemed like an eternity before a slow, deliberate smile spread over his face. “Very well. Escort them all back to the gate. Give the child to her father.”
“Roam!” Morgan screamed, but Logan grabbed her, holding her before the guards could touch her. I watched Laurel walk to West and break into tears as she handed Eva over to him. Violet threw herself into her mother’s arms.
Darkness, worse than drowning, slowed the world around me. West turned to me, clutching Eva to his chest, pain emanating from his eyes. “Roam…”
He looked down at Eva in his arms, as if considering the unthinkable.
He planned to fight to save me...
Or die trying.
But now, dying means killing our baby.
“Go, please… protect her, save her… I love you,” I sobbed, dropping to my knees as Troy finally released me.
“I love you… I will come back for you,” his swore, his voice breaking over Eva’s cries as the guards shoved him toward the door.
Troy looked down at me with a callous smile.
“Wait…” Logan turned to the guards, resisting as they herded them through the doorway. “I’ll stay. I’ll follow you, Troy. I’ll do whatever you ask. Except hurt her.”
I couldn’t fathom Logan’s words. Troy listened, stopping as if considering, and then finally pointed at Logan. “My brother stays. He will join me again.”
A guard shoved him forward, and West anticipated Violet’s move, handing Eva off to Morgan. He grabbed Violet before she could run for Logan.
Violet cried, piercing, her eyes red and sodden with tears. “You will die for this!” she bawled at Troy.
“Go!” Logan shouted to Violet. “Just go.”
When they were gone, I sat on the cold stone altar, staring at the ground. Logan stood, facing me, flanked by armed soldiers.
Troy squatted next to me, his breath hot against my ear. “I believe that having my brother here would comfort you. This is a peace offering, Roam. I will have your total obedience.”
Logan’s jaw twitched as he watched Troy whisper in my ear.
When I didn’t answer, Troy slid his arms under my knees, lifting me against him.
My mind turned inward, seeking anything but the reality of what was happening. Imaginary spiders crept over my skin, my heart dividing within my chest. The moment Troy’s hands touched my body, I twisted away, shocked.
Moments passed before I realized that the resonating, horrified scream in the room was my own. Beating against his chest with my fists, I dragged my fingernails down his face.
Logan became a feral version of himself, seething, fighting the army that held him. “Roam… No! Let her go! Roam!”
A guard whipped him across the back of the head with a gun, and he dropped to his knees.
Troy kicked the doors open with his booted foot, carrying me away as I screamed.
KIMBERLY ADAMS
www.ADAMSROMANCE.com
Fall (Roam Series, Book Two) Page 23
