Chapter 140
Chapter 140:
Skye stopped. She laughed, loud enough for the onlookers to hear through the glass.
“Just us?” Skye asked. “You slept with her, Liam. You brought her into our home. We are done p>
The employees inside gasped. Seraphina’s face went beet red as people turned to look at her. The “gold digger” narrative was crumbling; the “homewrecker” narrative was taking its place.
“That was… a mistake,” Liam stammered, grabbing Skye’s hand. “I was drunk. It meant nothing p>
“It meant everything to me,” Skye said coldly. She yanked her hand away.
Suddenly, a low, guttural roar filled the street.
A matte-black sports car—a Koenigsegg, sleek and terrifyingly expensive—pulled up directly behind Liam’s sedan.
The driver’s door opened vertically.
Alistair Thorne stepped out.
He wore a dark charcoal trench coat over a black turtleneck. He didn’t look at the crowd. He didn’t look at the traffic. He looked only at Liam, and the look was enough to lower the temperature on the entire block.
Liam stiffened. “Thorne p>
Alistair walked past Liam as if he were a traffic cone. He stood next to Skye. He didn’t say a word. He simply placed a hand on her shoulder. It wasn’t a possessive grip; it was a grounding one. A solid wall of support.
He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small black velvet box.
Liam’s eyes widened. “What are you doing p>
Alistair opened the box. Inside sat a silver brooch. It was shaped like a hawk in flight, its eye a single, piercing sapphire. The Thorne Family Crest.
The crowd inside the lobby went silent. Even Seraphina knew what that meant. In the old-money circles of the city, wearing the Crest wasn’t just dating. It was protection. It was a declaration of war against anyone who touched the wearer.
Alistair turned Skye toward him gently. With slow, deliberate movements, he pinned the brooch onto the lapel of her navy blazer.
𝘋о𝘸nl𝗼𝗮𝖽 𝘧𝗋е𝖾 o𝗇 𝖻𝗲l𝗇o𝘃е𝘭𝘴.𝘤o𝗆
His fingers brushed her collarbone. Skye shivered, but she didn’t pull away. She looked up at him, her eyes wide.
“For your protection,” Alistair said. His voice was deep, resonant, carrying to Liam’s ears. “Consider this a shield. Anyone who targets you targets the House of Thorne p>
He finished pinning it. He smoothed the fabric over her heart.
Then he turned to Liam.
“Do you recognize the seal, Kensington?” Alistair asked.
Liam was pale. “The Thorne Seal of Protection. You… you are claiming her p>
“I am ensuring her safety,” Alistair corrected, his voice like grinding stones. “She is under my banner now. If you harass her, you harass me. And you know how I handle threats p>
Liam took a step back. He looked at the silver hawk on Skye’s chest. It was a brand. A warning.
“Skye,” Liam whispered, betrayed. “You… you accepted his mark p>