Shackled (The Lord Series) by Amy T

108. Reyes

“I can’t tell you about it, just like I couldn’t say anything about Fire Fly.”

“What’s with all the insect names?“Stefan asks.

“Names for those like me,” Angel murmurs.

Those like her? Does she mean hellstars?

“What couldn’t you say about Fire Fly?” I push her to say more as I feel she is finally opening up to us.

She looks out of the small window. “In exchange for saving her, I was to receive a new identity. It was my only chance to escape Carlos, so I accepted. And I was the only one who had been in the facility before. When I felt ready to implement the plan, I ran from home. I asked Alekos for help because he was part of the plan,” her gaze returns to me, “but you and Stefan weren’t–especially Stefan. Wasp told me to keep my distance from you two, and while it was easy to do so with Stefan, you….”

Angel falls silent, but I need to know more about this plan and Fire Fly and Wasp. Are they hellstars as well? If yes, we must find and protect them from the Dukes.

“I fell in love with you the moment our eyes met,” I finished the sentence for her. “You know why?”

“Because you are a psychopath?” she questions me, making me laugh.

“No, because we were meant to be,” I tell her what my heart now knows for sure. She narrows her eyes, and I know she wants to know more, but right now, I want to know her story. “Who is Wasp, and why did she say you should keep your distance from me and Stefan?”

Angel thinks for a while before answering. “She…helps hellstars who are in bad situations escape. She told me to stay away from you because you two were trouble. Especially you. Not Stefan. He was…taken. That Fire Fly belongs to him.” Who the fuck is this Fire Fly? “When I learned about Emily-” Stefan inhales sharply, but Angel and I ignore him “—I didn’t make the connection, not until I saw Emily. And then I knew.”

“Knew what?” Stefan rasps.

“That Emily is Fire Fly, the one I was supposed to save from the facility.”

Stefan stands and punches the wall, making Angel flinch. “You knew about Emily?”

“Aren’t you listening to what she is saying? She learned about Emily after I took her home.”

me about Emily. How could I ever know she was Fire Fly when I never met her

be free of that whore?” he mutters, then looks at Angel. “If Emily has an

but Angel does. “A hellstar,

nature. But if Emily is a hellstar then the Elders will protect

108. Reyes

happy as he

laughs bitterly. “Her, a hellstar? More

goes from Stefan to me, then turns to him. “I

head to toe. “You are a slut,” he agrees with her, “but you

Alekos.”

overboard,

did this Wasp person want to save Emily?” I try to

“Only she knows, and I

what is your insect nickname?”

cringes. “Sounds weird when you

1

I say. “You are cute but

I pull her in for a kiss, but she shoves me back. “You need to

want to

“No!” she hisses.

I glare at Stefan. “Stay with

understanding my

with Stefan, but he kept her calm while Rin and I were torturing Luis. And she let him hold her in his arms. I don’t want to get my hopes up,

check on Luis, wanting to be sure he did not die. I plan to keep him alive until he cracks and tells me where Carlos is hiding. I call Alekos, letting him know

you in the morning,” he says

rented for a few more days, and Rin remains on it with Luis while Stefan and I take Angel to the ER. After a doctor looks at her nose and pain medicine is prescribed, she is given an ultrasound. I am looking at the image on the screen, trying to figure out if the baby is a boy or a girl when I hear my child’s heartbeats. If there is love at first sound, then I am experiencing it. The most beautiful sound I have ever heard. Too bad

that she won’t slip again–I still don’t know why she chose to lie like this when signs of strangulation are visible on her neck–Stefan and I take her

sleep later, Stefan and I are serving Angel her breakfast in bed, as the doctor advised her to