Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 57067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Kneeling next to Rico, I put my hand on his shoulder and squeeze just enough for him to feel how powerless he is. Even with both hands cuffed behind his back and to the bedframe, I’m not taking any risks.
“I don’t want to die here,” Rico moans, voice breaking.
“It’s an act, Celine,” I say, as she rubs at his head with antiseptic wipes.
She ignores me, focusing on her work.
“Don’t let him hurt me,” Rico whimpers.
“Are you forgetting you had a hard-on in that alleyway?” I snarl, raising my fist, ready to give him a wake-up call.
“Don’t,” Celine hisses, looking at me sternly. “Just… don’t do that.”
I grind my teeth.
“I don’t think you need stitches,” Celine says. “But you’ve got some bruising.”
“What about my brain?” he whines pathetically. “What if my brain’s swelling or something? I need a hospital.”
“He should be X-rayed,” Celine mutters.
I shake my head. “Out of the question.”
She shoots me a look. “I’m saying, in an ideal world, he should be X-rayed. I’m not saying that you should let him go or anything like that. I’m not a little kid, Damian—”
“I never said you we—”
“You don’t need to talk to me like I’m some naïve little idiot,” she cuts in. “Like I haven’t got a clue, okay? I get it. If you let him go, he goes running to the mob. If he goes running to the mob, it means bad things for you. Right?”
“Or for the men who come after me,” I snarl. “I just don’t want you to fall for this bastard's performance.”
“Please,” he groans.
“He wasn’t bluffing when he cornered you,” I say, ignoring him. “Everyone knows what this scumbag does when he thinks he can get away with it. He’s done it before, and he’ll do it again. The only reason I haven’t taken him out sooner is that he stayed too close to the Family. They signed his death warrant when they sent him after you.”
Celine flinches, then stands. “Without taking you to a hospital, I’ve done what I can.”
She turns toward the door.
“Please!” Rico erupts, the handcuffs rattling against the bedframe. “If you leave me here, he’s going to hurt me. He’s lying. I wasn’t going to do anything. I got… carried away. I won’t lie about that. But I wasn’t going to actually—”
“How stupid do you think I am?” Celine hisses, glaring down at him. “I’ve kept my head in the sand for too long. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to let you trick me. You’re not family. You don’t know how to play on my emotions.”
“I should’ve raped you in that fucking alley!”
I headbutt him so hard a jolt goes through his body. I stand and get ready to aim the mother of all knees at his face. Celine screams and jumps at me, her hand on my arm, stopping me.
“You heard him,” I growl. “You think I’m going to let him get away with that?”
“Just… don’t,” she whispers, her hand warm on my arm. “It’s all too much, Damian.”
She’s overwhelmed. Can’t blame her. She’s been through more than she ever should have.
Rico slumps against the bed, wheezing, blood dripping from his shattered nose.
“You’re lucky she’s here,” I growl, standing. “All of you scumbags who take whatever they can get from innocent people, every damn one of you… you act so tough. So big. So fucking scary. But when it’s time to show what you’re really made of, to show your true metal, you fail. Every time.”
I put my hand on the small of Celine’s back and guide her from the room. Every instinct roars at me to go back in there, to make him pay for even thinking about doing that to Celine. Let alone actually doing it.
Which he would have. Which he still would, if given the chance.
Celine rushes forward as if wanting to get away from my touch.
In the kitchen, she leans against the counter, her hands on her hips, breathing slowly. The small sounds of panic she makes cuts me to my core.
“I have to go,” she says, making for the door.
I move fluidly into her path. She stares at me with wide eyes in shock, as if wondering how someone so big can move so swiftly. It’s not the first time someone has looked at me like that.
“Unless you’re going to stay with your brother, I can’t let you go.”
“I don’t want to see Julian,” she hisses.
“Then I need you here. You’re a target. I wouldn’t… be able to…”
I trail off twice because she’s got a mocking smirk on her face. “No, please, go ahead. Finish that noble thought.” A pause. “Weren’t you going to say you wouldn’t be able to forgive yourself? That’s my guess. Am I right?”
“What’s your damn point?”
“Just seems a strange thing for the Beast to say.”
I’ve got no arguments there.
“Hate what I am if you want, Celine.” At least that might stop us from kissing, touching, and burning again together. “But I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”