Wicked Burn (Realm Enforcers #3)(65)

Simone’s throat closed. “Flynn, you have to help me. Nick was just protecting me when Roman tried to harm me. You can’t follow through with a death sentence. Excommunicate me instead.”

“But you didn’t kill our father.”

“No, but if there needs to be punishment, let me take it.” As long as they didn’t try to cut off her head. If they tried, she’d fight and burn their asses.

“No.”

“Surely it’s okay to kill a dragon in self-defense.” She reached out and grasped his hand. “That’s what really happened.”

Sympathy twisted his lip. “It’s too late to matter, sister. I’m sorry.” He flipped his hand around to grasp hers. “Now, tell me what the plan is. I know there has to be one.”

She looked him right in the eye. “If there is an escape plan, I have no clue what it is.”

He studied her, his eyes darkening. “You really don’t know.”

“No.” She allowed her shoulders to slump. “I’m afraid there isn’t a good plan.” Hell, that was the truth, so it should convince him. “I need your help, and you know it. Please.”

His dark eyebrows slashed down. “Nicholai Veis is a demon, and if you want to someday rule the Nine, even if it’s centuries from now, then you can’t be mated to a demon. I’m trying to save you from yourself here.”

“Fuck you,” Simone said evenly. “I’m a grown woman who can save herself, you asshat.” It was a good insult she’d learned from the queen of the Realm. “I require your assistance in saving Nicholai only.”

Desmond strolled into the room from the dining area. “That is not going to happen.” He took Simone’s glass and tipped back the whiskey. “Well? What’s the plan?”

Flynn sighed. “If there is a plan, she doesn’t know it.”

Betrayal coated her throat like acid. She swallowed bile and tried not to throw up. “You bastard,” she muttered.

“Actually a true statement,” Flynn said.

So Flynn had been trying to get information from her while she had been trying to manipulate him into helping her. They were quite a pair, weren’t they? “I hope I don’t have to kill you,” she said to her brother.

He nodded. “I hope so, too.”

The unconcerned note in his voice made her want to burn him from head to toe, right then and there. Then she’d have to take on Desmond, too, and first she needed to find Bear. “I’m suddenly not hungry.”

“Too bad,” Desmond said, looking around. “Where in the world is Beau—”

“I’m here and starving.” Bear loped into the room.

Desmond looked his way and grimaced. “You could’ve changed for supper.”

Bear glanced down at his faded jeans and worn T-shirt. “These are clean. What’s wrong with them?”

Desmond rolled his eyes. “There are several suits in your size in the closet of the rooms you were assigned an hour ago, and I know this because I put them there.”

“Dude. Do I look like I wear suits?” Bear asked, sniffing the air. “Is that aged whiskey?”

“Those who don’t wear suits don’t get the good whiskey,” Desmond said.

Bear frowned. “That sucks.”

Simone shoved down a scream of frustration. They were chatting about booze and clothes while still intending to murder Nicholai the next day? She had to figure out a way to save him.

Simone frowned at Bear, wondering what the plan would be without Flynn. In fact, Flynn had set her up, expressing the same sentiment about her future with a demon that Bear had earlier. Her frown deepened, and she squinted her eyes. Could she really trust Bear?

“What?” Bear asked, rubbing his square jawline. “Is there something on my face?”

There was about to be a ball of fire in his hair. She’d never really been able to count on a man, and now was probably a bad time to try. “No. Shall we eat?” she murmured. At least in the dining room there would be knives.

“Not yet,” Desmond said, turning to face Bear. “I’d like to know where you’ve been the last hour.”

Bear shrugged. “Exploring the fortress. I haven’t been here for a hundred years, as you know. It’s totally the same.”

“Hmmm. Exploring?” Desmond asked.

“Yep.” Bear tucked his thumbs in his jean pockets, his stance casual. “You could use an update here and there, cousin.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Desmond gave Flynn some weird head bob. “I’d like to know what you and the demon have planned for your pointless resistance to the law.”

Bear snorted. “You think I’m planning something with the demon?”

Flynn drew out a double-edged blade. “We know you’re planning something with the demon. You risked your life to turn into a dragon and bring him here, Bear.”

“Yeah. I brought him here because you had Simone, and I was afraid she’d confess to killing our father, which I thought she had.” Bear scratched his chin, eyeing the knife. “So I pretty much delivered the real killer to you. You’re welcome.”

Flynn twirled the knife. “Don’t you want to avenge our father’s death?” Emotion darkened his voice.