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Not at me.

At the severed ribbon of his daughter clutched in my hand.

33

ALARIC

Silence descended over the estate. The kind I’d felt before. The kind that followed violence. Ghost disappeared through the east wing. Falcon’s boots echoed overhead. Brick moved methodically from room to room. One door. Then the next.

The quiet clicks of weapons being cleared drifted through the house. Every instinct in me wanted to join them. But I didn’t. I looked at her.

Nyssa stood exactly where I’d found her. The Phantom still clutched against her chest. One hand trembling around the other half of Lily’s ribbon. I had to look away. Had to force myself to breathe before I turned back to the vibrant red against her broken thumb. Fuck.

She hadn’t realized what this was. Neither had I. Until now.

The world narrowed.

Not to the ribbon.

To her.

She was alive.

My knees trembled with the realization, threatening to give out beneath me. I crossed the room. Slowly. Carefully. Like one movement might shatter whatever fragile thing had just survived between us. She looked up and those blue eyes found mine.

Savage.

Claiming.

Possession ripped through me.

I crossed the space in an instant.

My hands reached for her face before I realized I’d lifted them.

Cold.

Too cold.

My thumbs brushed beneath her eyes.

Searching.

Not for tears.

But for blood.

Bruises.

Proof I’d arrived in time.

This time.

When I found nothing, something inside me finally broke.

I pulled her hard against me as Rafe took over the scene.

“Ghost. Roof. Falcon. Thermals. Knox. Pull every camera.” Then he pulled his phone from his pocket and lifted it. “Pull every camera. I want the DVR now.”