He cursed and jumped back, my attempt at slitting his throat only leaving a small red line on his arm.
I took off, knife clutched in my fist. Every breath hurt as I wove around cars and crossed the street. There would be somewhere for me to veer off, somewhere I could escape where he wouldn’t be able to shoot at me.
Tobias might go for the kill shot if he decided to pull out that gun.
But he also might not. It was worse if I ended up with a hole in my leg, stopping me from running again but leaving me perfectly usable to sell off.
My lungs burned with the effort, my feet getting more torn up with every step. I was tempted to glance back, but I might trip over myself if I did. And maybe it was better not to know how close I was to being captured.
A park came up beside me and I spotted an exit on the other side, a narrow pathway hemmed in by trees. The grass of the field was cool against my feet, and I didn’t look back as I crossed the wide-open space. I kept my eyes forward until an arm wrapped around me, pulling me to a stop.
I thrashed and cried out until my next breath caught the aroma of vanilla cream.
My body drooped with a whimper, and I tilted my head to the side. I met her eyes, trying to determine how furious she was about Ambrose. Even if she was here to punish me for that, I needed her to save me anyway.
“Please,” I whispered. “Leighton, please.”
She inhaled sharply, my fear probably potent enough she tasted it.
“Who are you running from, dove? You don’t need me to dark bond you. I can keep you safe without it.”
I shook my head. More tears dripped down my cheeks. There weren’t footsteps pounding against the gravel of this pathway yet, but there would be. People would come. Tobias would follow me.
“You can’t,” I whispered. “My family… You can’t. My brother is already here. Bonding me is the only way. I give you permission. Dark bond me.”
Someone shouted from behind us, back the way I’d come down the path. She cursed, her hold on me tightening as she glanced over her shoulder. There was only a second to choose.
Would she be my salvation, or would I go back to Tobias for the final time?
I clutched at her, pressing closer in desperation. My skin was tacky with sweat, and she was warm too, like she’d been running. Had she been running after me?
Her lips on my neck had me letting out a little moan of relief. “This is going to hurt.”
It couldn’t hurt more than anything else I’d been through.
Her teeth punctured the skin, forging a bond that tore through me like fire. My nerve endings lit up and I couldn’t be sure if it was pleasure or pain. Maybe I’d been through so much pain I found it pleasurable now—at least coming from Leighton.
I felt her there too, our consciousness linked. Every part of her was open like a book for me to read, from her anger to her concern.
“Let her go.” My brother’s voice was deadly.
We were no longer alone, each end of the narrow path filled with my brother’s men. He stood at the front, glaring at Leighton and I, all tied together.
Her tongue brushed over the wound in my neck, and she stood to her full height once again. One arm held me, but her other hand was shoved into her purse. “Why would I let my omega go?” Leighton asked.
It was the coldest tone I’d heard from her. Her aura expanded outward, larger-than-life. It would feel oppressive to them—but not to me. For me the heavy weight and the vanilla cream created a layer of comfort across my skin, stopping my trembling.
“She’s not yours.”
“My mark on her neck says different.”
Tobias looked at the mark, baring his teeth. “You can’t dark bond a normal omega. It’s illegal.”
Leighton tugged me closer to her side. Her phone was now in her hand. “She gave me permission.”
“No, she fucking didn’t,” he hissed.
“Look, why don’t we ask a seer?” Leighton said sweetly. “Kiara gave me permission to claim her, so she’s my omega. Fuck off.”
