Chapter 573
Chapter 573:
“Liam,” Skye whispered. The name felt like a shard of glass in her throat. He shouldn’t be walking. He should be in a hospital bed.
He heard her. Amid the chaos, amid the shouting guards, his head snapped up. His eyes locked onto hers. They were bloodshot, rimmed with dark circles that looked like bruises, but the blue irises burned with a manic, terrifying light.
“Skye!” He stumbled forward, tripping over his own feet, catching himself on a statue of a cherub. He laughed, a wet, hacking sound. “Getting married? Again? Didn’t learn your lesson the first time p>
Alistair moved in front of Skye, his body a shield. “Get him out of here,” he ordered, his voice low and lethal. “Now p>
Two large guards grabbed Liam’s arms.
Liam thrashed, possessed by a frantic strength. “No! Wait! I brought a gift p>
He reached into his jacket pocket. The guards tensed, expecting a weapon.
Liam pulled out a small, black velvet box. He threw it.
It skidded across the dance floor, stopping at Skye’s feet.
“Open it!” Liam screamed, spit flying from his lips. “It’s a coffin nail! For the happy couple p>
“Throw him out,” Alistair barked.
The guards dragged Liam backward. His heels scraped lines into the pristine lawn.
“You think you won, Alistair?” Liam shouted, his voice cracking. “You think Lucian is gone? He’s watching! He’s laughing at you p>
The name Lucian sucked the air out of the garden.
Liam stopped fighting for a second. He went limp in the guards’ grip. He looked straight at Skye, and for a microsecond, the madness vanished. His face went slack, his eyes clear and devastatingly sad.
He mouthed two words.
Tick. Tock.
Then the mask slammed back down. He threw his head back and howled with laughter as they hauled him through the broken gates and tossed him into the dirt of the service road.
Skye stood frozen. Her heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird.
𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘦.𝘤𝘰𝘮
Tick. Tock.
It was a countdown.
“Skye.” Alistair turned to her, grabbing her shoulders. “Look at me. He’s drunk. He’s traumatized from the overdose. He doesn’t know what he’s saying p>
Skye looked at the black box on the floor. “Open it,” she said, her voice trembling.
Felix stepped forward, wearing protective gloves. He picked up the box and cracked it open.
He let out a breath. “It’s empty, Boss. Just a dead spider p>
Alistair’s jaw tightened. “He’s sick. I’ll make sure he never gets within five miles of you again p>
Skye nodded, but a wave of dizziness hit her. The world tilted on its axis. The lights of the chandeliers seemed to stretch into long, blinding streaks. Her stomach cramped, a sharp, twisting knot that had nothing to do with anxiety.
“I need…” Skye swayed. “I need some water p>
Alistair caught her before she could stumble. “Skye p>
“I’m fine,” she mumbled, her tongue feeling thick and heavy in her mouth. “Just… the shock p>