Lily reached the secret entrance and stopped. “This is your way in. I’ve fulfilled my end.”
“You think your part in this is over?” Dennis laughed and wrapped his fingers around her wrist to pull her through the opening. “It’s just beginning, Lily.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Rhys couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw Dennis leading Lily from the hedgerow. “Nay,” he whispered, shock and fear icing his veins.
Dennis was supposed to leave Lily behind. She was meant to be far from whatever was coming. She was supposed to be sitting safely with the other mates deep in the mountain where he knew she would be safe and he could focus on ridding the world of Dennis.
Rhys scrubbed a hand down his face, his mind rushing through every nuance of his plan. Every turn was danger for Lily. It made him break out into a sweat. He couldn’t lose Lily. She was the only reason he could face each day. Without her … he was nothing. But mortals were so … fragile. Her life could be extinguished so quickly.
He started to follow Dennis and Lily, intending to do whatever was necessary to get Lily away, when he was roughly yanked back against the manor. He whirled around, a growl forming as he prepared to fight whoever dared to get between him and his mate. Then his gaze landed on Con’s calm visage staring at him.
Rhys shook his head as he stared at Con in disbelief. He glanced at Lily to make sure she was still close enough for him to get to. Once he saw her, he returned his focus to Con. “What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be ready to guard the weapon. Doona tell me it’s in the damn manor.”
A blond brow rose as Con coolly stared at him. “Of course I’m no’ dimwitted enough to keep the weapon at the manor.”
“Then why are you here?”
Con’s nostrils flared as he drew in a breath. “Because of you.”
Rhys noticed Constantine wasn’t in his usual suit. He wore a pair of jeans, a black tee, and boots. “You doona think I can protect Lily? You doona think I can keep my head when it comes to her?”
“That never entered my mind. I’m more concerned with you. Especially now that Dennis has decided to bring Lily with him.”
Rhys ran a hand through his hair and briefly closed his eyes. “Lily knows about us.”
“I assumed as much.”
“You’re no’ angry?”
“Would it matter?”
Rhys held Con’s gaze. “Nay.”
“Then why ask?”
He didn’t have a clue. Rhys took a deep breath and got control of the apprehension within him now that Lily was smack in the middle of everything. With her there, it changed how he needed to implement his plan. Before, he couldn’t have cared less if Dennis was killed. In fact, he was counting on it. But now … now, his plan was for shit.
His heart pounded irregularly in his chest. Lily. The one woman who’d reached his heart without even trying. There were two main objectives now. Keep Lily safe, and stop Dennis from taking the weapon.
“You need to enact your plan,” Con said.
Rhys cut him a look. “That would endanger Lily. Besides, Dennis could know what we are.”
“Regardless, Dennis is a fool,” Con said with distaste. “As you’ve always said, Dennis might know exactly where the weapon is.”
Rhys began to smile as he realized where Con was going with the conversation. “Aye. Then he’ll realize it’s a trap if I lead him to the location I planned.”
“True enough. However, we’ll know then if Ulrik has discovered where the weapon is hidden.”
“If that’s the case, you’re going to tell us,” Rhys stated.
Con merely held his gaze, refusing to say anything.
Rhys turned and watched Lily and Dennis. He hated the way Dennis gripped her arm tightly, making her wince. It was time Dennis was out of her life—permanently.
“It seems things are going our way,” Con said. “Kellan and Darius just arrived with Kyle.”
Rhys swiveled his head back to Con. “I didna doubt those two would retrieve Kyle.”
“I understand why you wanted Kyle here, but Guy will need to wipe his memories. There’s no telling what he’ll see.”
“He needs to see the real Dennis. As far as his memories, I doona think Lily will be upset if we erase all traces of Dennis.”
Con nodded his head once. “Go save your mate.”
Rhys was vaguely aware that Con walked away, but his attention was on Lily. He purposefully hadn’t told her the full extent of his plan so Dennis couldn’t force it out of her.
“Hang on, Lily,” Rhys whispered.
*
“You’ll be able to see everything from here,” Darius told Kyle as they led him into a vacant room on the third floor of the manor.
Kyle looked at them, a touch of fear in his eyes. “You want me to stay here? By myself?”
“We’ll be about,” Kellan assured him. “Dennis will never know you’re here.”
Kyle glanced out the window. “I’m not sure about any of this.”