It was genuinely bizarre how intimately Leonard and Joshua understood each other''s boundaries.


    Leonard practically tap-danced on Joshua''sst nerve on a daily basis; she couldn''t decide if the man was insanely arrogant or if he legitimately didn''t care whether he lived or died.


    "Thank you for telling me," Ste finally murmured, her voice tight.


    "Don''t thank me," Leonard replied smoothly. "It was the right thing to do."


    Ste didn''t have the energy to argue, walking the rest of the path in heavy silence.


    A few minutester, she stepped into Old Mr. Wyatt''s study and exined her desperate n.


    Old Mr. Wyatt stroked his beard, his diagnosis perfectly mirroring Mr. Burton''s. "Short bursts are eptable. Extended ying is off the table. As for bringing in a psychological specialist..."


    He paused, adjusting his reading sses. "I do have a highly capable associate in the field. I''ll make the calls and have him flown in immediately."


    A rush of immense gratitude washed over Ste. "Thank you, Mr. Wyatt. Seriously, thank you."


    Old Mr. Wyatt looked as though he wanted to say something else, but ultimately waved a dismissive hand. "Get out of here.


    Just make sure youe back for a physical evaluation every single week once you start ying."


    Ste nodded profusely and hurried out the door.


    She spotted Leonard lingering casually by the stone archway.


    He didn''t attempt to corner her again, merely offering a polite nod as she passed.


    She didn''t break her stride, heading straight for the waiting car.


    As Leonard strolled into the study, Old Mr. Wyatt let out a loud, derisive snort.


    "Your system is still coursing with toxins, and you''re out here ying Florence Nightingale for someone else''s woman?


    That Gardner kid left you half-dead, and instead of taking a shot at his empire, you''re tracking down doctors to save his sanity?


    Did you swallow too much seawater when you nearly drowned, or are you just functionally braindead?"


    Leonard grabbed an apple from the desk, tossing it in the air. "Joshua didn''t do this to me. I brought it on myself."


    Old Mr. Wyatt stared at him, utterly bbergasted.


    "Are you out of your damn mind?!" the old man barked. "You used to wipe out entire syndicates before breakfast! What, are you suddenly discovering religion? Putting down the gun to be a saint?"


    Leonard took a bite of the apple, his tone infuriatingly level. "I was the one who authorized the torture that shattered Ste''s hand. I deserve whatever physical falloutes my ways Joshua hadn''t taken us ff


    pound of flesh from me, she would


    never even look in my direction, let


    alone speak to me.


    I operated on the false intel that she was the one who ruined Aurora, so I ordered the hit.


    Joshua retaliating against me is just basic rules of engagement. I can''t fault him for it."


    Old Mr. Wyatt gaped at him as if he had just grown a second head. "A ruthless cartel boss with a moralpass. Now I''ve seen everything."


    "Acknowledging the rules doesn''t mean I actually follow them," Leonard corrected coldly. "ying the noble hero gets you absolutely nowhere in this world."


    Something in that twisted logic amused the old doctor, who let out a raspy chuckle.


    "He''s the only thing standing between you and the girl. Why not use his mental breakdown to put a bullet in his head? You''d get the beauty all to yourself."


    "Because saving his sanity was Ste''s request, not his," Leonard replied, tossing the apple core into the trash. "I''m doing this for her made a vow topensate her for the damage caused, and will move heaven and earth to fulfill whatever she asks."


    He leaned against the mahogany bookcase, his eyes darkening. "When I finally kill Joshua Gardner it''s going to be a clean honorable execution on my terms. I''m not going to skulk in the shadows and rety on petty sabotage."


    Old Mr. Wyatt, who harbored a deep, abiding hatred for self-righteous hypocrites like


    Mr. Burton, let out a barkingugh.


    "Oh, please! You''ve built an entire empire on ckmail, extortion, and backstabbing. Now you want to y the honorable knight?"


    Leonard just shed a chilling, predatory smile. "A promise is only amitment if I choose to honor it. And trust me, very few people in this world are worth keeping a promise to."