Wings of Broken Time by Alina Das 342
At her words, Neville, who had already arrived, shot Gareth a cold glare before wrapping an a around his wife and guiding her back into the car.
Nightveil toyed with the knife as she crouched down. “Since Paxton wants one of Sapphire’s we’ll have to take one of yours.”
Before Gareth could beg for mercy, her hand moved in a flash. With brutal force, she sliced off his ring finger. The pain was so intense that he nearly passed out.
Using a handkerchief, Nightveil expressionlessly picked up the severed finger, wrapped it, and ther bound Gareth, hauling him off the ground and tossing him into the trunk of her car.
With that done, she turned to Neville and Sapphira. “Mr. and Mrs. Judson, I’d advise you to stay somewhere else for the night. You can return to the estate tomorrow morning.”
Neville, however, held Sapphira tightly. “I need to go back to the estate. I’ll leave my wife in your care for now.”
His eyes were glacial. He couldn’t believe his own brother, Paxton, would dare to lay a hand on his beloved wife. It was a line that should never have been crossed. This time, there would be no forgiveness.
Nightveil met his gaze and nodded. “Of course.”
Neville released his wife, his voice softening. “Sapphira, go get something to eat with Miss Nightveil and get some rest. I have to take care of something at the estate. I’ll come find
Sapphira frowned, her eyes filled with worry, but she nodded. “Alright.”
you later.”
:
It was nearly midnight, but the lights in the west wing villa were still on. Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
Finley, sitting on the living room sofa, glanced at the video intercom. His heart leaped into his throat when he saw his uncle Neville standing outside. He hesitated, knowing exactly why Neville was here. It had to be about Sapphira.
The doorbell rang again and again, its sharp, incessant chiming piercing the quiet of the night. The noise roused Paxton and Vivica, who came out of their rooms and looked down into the living room from the second–floor landing.
“Who’s ringing the bell at this hour?” Paxton asked, his voice laced with annoyance.
Finley stared nervously at the door. “It’s… it’s Uncle Neville.”
Hearing it was his older brother, Paxton’s expression darkened into a cold smirk. So, he was demand answers about Sapphira’s disappearance.
“Ignore him,” Paxton said dismissively. “Let him stand out there.”
He then turned his irritation on his son. “Why aren’t you in bed? You have a lot
no time to be losing your nerve.
Finley hesitated before nodding slowly. “I know.” He stood up, his steps heavy as he started toward
the stairs.
He’d only taken a few steps when a loud crash echoed from outside, shaking the entire villa. The sound grew louder, more violent.
Finley stopped. “Dad, I’m going to see what’s happening.”
He rushed back down and threw open the door, only to find the front yard swarming with a dozen bodyguards. Some were smashing the iron gate with sledgehammers, while others were cutting through the bars with power saws.
Paxton frowned, no longer able to ignore the commotion, and descended the stairs. Vivica hurried back to her room to grab a robe before following him.
Just as they reached the front door, the iron gate crashed to the ground with a deafening roar. The bodyguards parted, and Neville strode through the opening. His face was a mask of glacial fury, utterly devoid of warmth in the cool night air.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.