Page 220 of Lethal King

“That attitude is going to get you killed,” I warn him.

To my surprise, Tytus chuckles. Blood dribbles from his split lip as he looks up to the ceiling.

“I almost had you there,” he says. “Catching you off guard was my only chance—but only because of the circumstances. In a fair fight, I could take you. Easily. But not like this, not after what they did to me…”

“What who did to you?” I ask.

A stubborn part of me almost wants to let him back up, to tie an arm behind my back and make this a fair fight. Tytus is right. I only won this easily because he’s injured.

But that doesn’t matter. Honor doesn’t mean shit while Rozalia is in danger.

“You need to let me go,” Tytus grumbles. With a pain-filled grunt, he tries to stand up. I don’t let him.

Placing my hand on his shoulder, I shove him back down onto his ass.

“Fuck,” he grimaces. “You’re lucky they got to me first, or else I’d make you pay for that.”

“Who got to you first?”

I’m still hoping beyond hope that Tytus’ wounds aren’t the result of a battle with Rozalia.

Not unless they mean she’s won.

“As if I’d tell you.”

“You better start telling me, or else I’m going to put you out of your misery.”

A deep sigh lifts Tytus’ powerful chest.

“As nice as that sounds, I can’t die yet.”

“Want to try me?”

“No. If you kill me, you’ll never find her. And I won’t be able to save her…”

My knife drops from his throat.

“… Roz is in trouble?”

It’s what I’ve already suspected, but to hear it confirmed like that is even more heart-wrenching.

“Like you really care.”

This time, when Tytus tries to stand up, I’m not so gentle. Lifting my knife again, I slam it into the wall just above his shoulder and grab him by the throat.

“You have no idea how much I care,” I sneer.

“Is that why you’re here?” Tytus asks, his hazy eyes studying me carefully. “Because you care about her?”

There’s a caution in his voice that I don’t quite understand. But I’m in no mood to sit around and try to figure the fucker out.

Ripping my knife out of the wall, I place it back against his throat.

“I’m here because I caught up to the men you sent to burn down that union building,” I explain, leaning in nice and close. “I’m here because one of them squealed. I know they were Leander’s men. I know they were working with you. I also know that Roz would never work with Leander. To me, that leaves one explanation. You’ve betrayed her. You set that building on fire and killed those men to draw me away from her. You know where she is and you know what’s happening. You’re going to force your sister to marry that slimy Greek fucker just so you can benefit from the alliance, aren’t you? Fucking answer me!”

My rage spills out as I press my blade deeper into Tytus’ throat. He barely even flinches as the first bits of blood start to trickle out from behind my blade.

“Interesting…” he mumbles, shifting his jaw.