Forbidden Fate (Crowne Point 3)

“You need me.”

I laughed, but when his grip tightened, my gut dropped.

“The du Lacs don’t care about bastards,” he said. “No one will think twice if you have mine.”

“So are you supposed to be my knight in shining armor now?” I hissed.

He grinned, but it was mean. “Call me whatever the fuck you want. I’m your only shot at keeping you and that bastard in your belly alive, Angel.”

Fear drenched me like acid.

Not for me, for the baby.

I shoved West off, standing up and putting distance between us. I trusted Grayson when he said he would take care of us. He’d already done so much for us; he’d always protected us.

He would look after us.

He would free us.

West had done nothing but trap me.

“No one is on your side, Angel,” he said softly. “I’ve never seen the du Lacs and Crownes work together so well. We spent years working on that marriage. No amount of money could stop their bickering…but when you entered the scene? A decades-old rivalry vanished in an instant. Imagine what they’ll do when they find out you’re pregnant. Be my mistress and that all changes. You don’t have to fight anymore.”

I felt like I was going to be sick. “I’m not falling for your tricks anymore, West.”

I was nearly out of the hallway when West’s voice drifted back. “What about Grayson? Would you do it for him? I thoug

ht you loved him.”

I paused. “What?”

It was almost exactly what Lottie had said.

“How do you think he’s getting you both out of this?”

“He forced his grandfather’s hand,” I said, but my heart was a knot.

West laughed. “How did he do that, Angel?”

Silence ticked on.

“It’s so romantic,” West said. “He gave up everything for you. He blew up his entire fucking world right in my inbox. Pretty good early Christmas present.”

He held up his phone for me to see, but I didn’t understand. It looked like some kind of contract—that much I understood. I was familiarized with it from Grayson.

“What is this?”

“Uh, the short version?” West put his phone back. “While you run into the sunset, his family crumbles to ashes, and I’ll take his kingdom.”

My heart bottomed out.

I’ll move the earth for you, Story. I’ll make the sky fall.

His family would be on the street.

“Are you going to make him choose between which child to abandon? He can’t have both, Angel. Not in this world. If he runs away with you, my family will make sure he never sees Lottie again.”

You’re either for this family, or you're against it.