She sucked in a shaky inhale. ‘I was torn, Mak. Amid loyalty to you and protecting my sister. I should have confided in you, but the fear of what could happen to Shiloh clouded my judgment.’
She met his gaze, willing him to see the turmoil within her.
‘Who is he?’ Mak ground out.
Her breath hitched as she searched for how to tell him that one of his worst foes had snatched his bride-to-be from him.
Panic rose in her heart, knowing he’d be incandescent with rage at the revelation.
Still, she owed him some veracity. But just as she was about to reveal the name, he growled and cursed under his breath.
Like whiplash, his mood changed and darkened, his body locking up, and his eyes storming.
‘You can’t even respect me with the truth, can you?’ he snarled.
‘Mak, I was about -’
He cut her off. ‘Your family is the spawn of the devil,’ he growled. ‘If it weren’t for the deal Ifokkin’ made with your Uncle to guarantee the Sauvage family’s concerns are protected from the Syndicate’s machinations, I’d rip your throat apart.’
With that, he turned on his heel and strode away.
She gave a slight moan, his words crushing as her anxiety ratcheted once more.
He disappeared into the shadows of the lodge, his figure growing smaller until he vanished from sight.
A hollow ache filled Saba’s chest as she realized the unfathomable depth of the rift that separated them. It was a gaping wound that might never heal.
Tears prickled at the corners of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.
She stood in the garden for a long time, alone and adrift in a sea of uncertainty.
Grappling with the consequences of her actions and the shattered fragments of her sorry-ass future.
The sun rose higher in theSombra’sfaux sky, casting its golden light over the lake like a benediction.
But its rays did not bring warmth, blessing, or peace; they were only a cold reminder of all that had been lost.
Chapter 23
SABA
To sacrifice means to make an offering sacred.
Amid the turmoil that now engulfed Saba’s life, one thing remained clear: the obligation to protect her sister had come at a cost far higher than she ever could have imagined.
None of it made her feel any more sacrosanct.
She was as un-sanctified as possible, tainted and polluted to the core. Knowing that her actions would have repercussions extensive beyond this moment, shaping the destinies of all caught in their wake.
Days turned into weeks, and still, no word from Shiloh or Zolan.
Needing her brand of companionship, Saba invited Aveline to her new home one evening after a long day shift at the hospital where she worked as a nurse. Her husband was away on business, so she had the rare freedom to join Saba. They had a blast.
They cracked open a bottle of wine, shared a bowl of popcorn, and watched a holo comedy-romance.
They laughed so hard their sides ached, the stress of the past weeks slipping away in the warmth of friendship and moments of joy.
They even shed a tear or two as the screen flickered with scenes of love, heartbreak, and forever happiness.
