My Loyalty Lies With You 소설 & 이야기

“I haven’t decided which of them I’d mourn.” He laughed once, low and broken, then stopped. The sound died between us, leaving only that shared recognition: that we had already lost too much to call this safety. I reached for the locket at my throat. His eyes followed the motion, sharp, wary. “It’s my mother’s,” I said. “Inside is everything that can ruin your war.” He stepped closer until the edge of his coat brushed my sleeve. “You trust me with it?” “I don’t trust anyone,” I said. “But you’re the one who keeps showing up when I need a liar.”

That is in control. His face deepening, he flinched as though I had hit him. "I adore you, darling; damn it! I have gambled all for you. Do you believe I sought this life for us? That I wanted you hauled into this mess? Here we are, though, and I'm attempting to keep us alive as you stand there challenging my allegiance." "It's not your loyalty I doubt," I stammered back. "That is your confidence in me. Do you not believe I am strong? Just a delicate object you have to protect from the environment.

Bryan growled, “ You are doubting my loyalty?” “ Oh no, honey. If you think that I have no idea how alliance works then you are seriously looking down on me got it? I know Glenn is anything but loyal to anyone and the same could be said about those who came in alliance with him. You are not loyal to each other but the benefits that you receive, you don’t give a shit about loyalty to Glenn but you do care about the benefits you are receiving from him.”

“Always the lapdog.” His gaze snapped toward Leora, and for a moment, the venom dripped freely. “You really think he’s loyal to you? You think loyalty exists in a world like this? Everyone’s playing a game, sweetheart. And no one plays clean.” “You’d be surprised who I trust,” Leora replied, her voice trembling at the edges, but steady where it counted. Her body shook, but her spirit stood tall. Matteo scoffed, lips parting for another venomous quip—

“I’m simply stating the obvious. You’re wearing his name, but are you wearing his loyalty?” I took a slow sip of my drink, allowing the moment to stretch. The question was meant to dig, to unravel something inside me. But I had learned long ago how to let words hit without breaking skin. “Loyalty,” I murmured, tilting my head slightly, “is a currency, just like power. And I make sure mine is very expensive.” For the first time, he hesitated. A flicker, a pause—so small most wouldn’t have caught it.

Completely. That was power. Not loud. Not forced. Just… absolute. At some point, one of the men turned to me. “And what do you think?” The question caught me off guard. My heart skipped slightly. I wasn’t supposed to speak. Or was I? I glanced at Marcello. He didn’t look at me. Didn’t react. And that told me everything. This was my decision. My test. I straightened slightly. “I think…” I began slowly, choosing my words carefully, “that loyalty isn’t something you can demand without giving something equal in return.”

I didn’t smoke, but I took it anyway. We stood in silence, the wind tangling through our hair. “You ever think we lost this war before it started?” she asked. “All the time.” “Think we were stupid to believe we could rewrite the rules?” “Maybe.” She took a drag. “But then I remember why we started.” I looked at her. “Why did you start?” She exhaled slowly. “Because I wanted to believe loyalty could still mean something.” I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Do you still believe it?”

He never wanted me with them in the first place. “You can talk to me, Berry.” His words come out with a silent plea. It’s as if he can read my mind. What do I really have to lose other than my dignity? I might have already lost that a long time ago, Aaron did his best to make sure of it. And now, I’m still finding it so hard to tell what loyalty is even when it’s staring me right in the eyes. Finally, I swallow the lump in my throat and let myself speak.