AllFreeNovel
Share Us
When I heard them enter the room, my blood actually boiled. The way he spoke to her, the sound of him touching her, her scream, and the way her voice shook when she pleaded with him to let her go. It added fuel to an already burning fire inside me. A burning ball of hatred that has been growing for two years since Phoebe was taken. My brother’s pain is my pain and when Melissa willingly put herself forward to help rescue her, it made me madder than I have ever been. I’m not proud that I walked away. I should have been there for her, to help with her decision and reassure her that I wouldn’t let her walk in here alone.
Mikhail is a formidable opponent, and I knew she would be safe, but he isn’t me. He doesn’t love this woman and his heart wouldn’t break if something went wrong with his plan. That is why I made my own with the help of Lucian Romano. To hide in the turret and protect my girl as only I can.
I pull away and love the emotion shining in her eyes as she whispers, “You came for me.”
“I will always come for you.” My reply is husky and laden with promise. Melissa will have my protection until the day I die because now I have found her, I am not letting her go. Her expression tells me she feels the same and I could stare at her all day, but the groaning man at my feet tells me I must get back to business.
I stroke her face and whisper, “Trust me, little one. You are safe with me.”
She nods, her face aglow with happiness, and whispers, “I trust you, Adonis. Tell me what I can do to help.”
A rush of emotion hits me as she stares at me with open honesty, all her feelings written on her beautiful face. I can’t help myself and leaning in, I steal another kiss because right in this moment, Melissa has never looked as beautiful as she does now. I could drown in her beauty and gorge on her desire, but this is not the time or place for that. I am here on business, which has always been my top priority until she crashed into my life and reminded me I have a heart in here somewhere.
I pull back and smile and jerk my head toward the crumpled heap on the ground. “It’s time to make him pay.”
“What are you going to do?” Melissa’s eyes are wide, but they don’t hold any fear, merely morbid curiosity, and I grin wickedly.
“Now it’s my brother’s turn.”
I turn and reaching down, grab Hosea by his hair and he groans like a wounded animal as I haul him to his feet and nod toward the bed. “Grab my gun and hand it to me.”
Melissa nods, jumping quickly to attention and as she slides the machine gun from under the bed, her eyes widen with fear.
“Fuck, Adonis, you don’t mess around.”
It makes me laugh. “No, I don’t.”
She hands it to me with trembling fingers and I jerk my head toward the door. “Open it but stay behind it.”
I train the gun on the door as she takes a deep breath and does as I say and as it opens, I say firmly, “Walk behind me and stay close unless I tell you otherwise.”
“Adonis, I–” Fear flares in her eyes and I know she’s not used to this life, so I say reassuringly, “This is what I do, Melissa. I have everything under control.”
Hosea stirs and his body jerks as he comes back to consciousness and I respond by punching him hard around the head, causing him to howl like a wild animal. Then I push the barrel of my revolver against his temple as I sling the machine gun around my shoulder and hiss, “One sudden move and you’re dead.”
He snarls, “You won’t leave this island alive. My guards will cut you down with one well-trained bullet right between the eyes.”
“Keep telling yourself that, Hosea.” I laugh darkly as I push him through the door toward the narrow steps leading down to the hallway. Melissa follows close behind and as we reach the final step, we are faced by two guards with their weapons raised.
Hosea cackles against my hand and I press the gun harder into his temple and growl, “Let us pass.”
Melissa’s huge intake of breath behind me tells me how shit scared she is, and I hiss, “Lower your weapons.”
Hosea’s strangled cry makes me smile as the guards do as I say and lower their guns and step to the side, refusing to acknowledge their boss at all. His muffled anger makes me laugh darkly as I push him down the hallway, Melissa close on my heels. We reach the grand staircase and I’m so tempted to toss him over the balustrade but resort to pushing him hard before me down the stairs.
We reach the large entrance and I note how silent it is. There are no guards and no visitors. They are otherwise occupied in the many bedrooms right now and we have exactly twenty minutes left before it’s changeover time. Mikhail was right. The shift changes on the hour every hour until dawn when the invited guests swap to the next bedroom. Then the man without a room swaps with the last man standing, who watches over Hosea’s myth of Psyche.
I push him through the doors onto the gold carpet and we make our way up the hill toward the cross. “What’s going on? Where are the guards?” Hosea splutters and I laugh darkly.
“Otherwise occupied as they care for your guests.”
“But…” Hosea sounds less sure of himself as I pick up our pace and as we head up the hill, he screams, “Where are the guards?”
I’m aware he is referring to the leather-clad guards with swords as he realizes his precious goddess has apparently been left with the last man standing.
The two figures watch us approach and only as we draw near does it reveal Phoebe hand in hand with my brother.
“Nooo!!!” Hosea’s howl of rage echoes through the night sky as he sees his beloved Psyche in another man’s arms and I whisper darkly, “A winged serpent will carry her away and claim her as his. You know the prophecy, Hosea. This is what happens when it’s fulfilled.”
