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Throat clearing filled the line before a nervous voice spoke. “Sir, we have a problem.”
I recognized Jimmy right away. He’d only worked with us for a few years. I’d been grooming him to take over our escort business. He wasn’t quite ready when I had to step up and lead the family, but he’d been doing a good enough job. Occasionally, I needed to come in and sort things out.
“Explain it fast.” Hopefully, it was something I could fix over the phone.
“Crystal was coming home.” All our escorts lived in a luxury apartment building. They had their own apartments where clients weren’t permitted. They safely carried out their work at a few hotels we owned or at the client’s house if they trusted them.
The safety measures and amenities we provided were the reason the girls were willing to give us thirty percent of what they made. We didn’t kidnap them. Beat them. Force them.
When they found us, most of them had been doing it for a while. We took them off the streets and kept them safe. Did I love it? No, but it made good money. There were worse things we could do.
“And someone attacked her.”
“Is she okay?” My fist curled as I paced. The rage must have been clear on my face because people crossed the street to avoid me.
“Bruised. It’ll take time to heal, and she won’t be working for a few weeks.” I didn’t give a fuck about that. I wanted to know why.
“Was it a client?” I’d rip them to fucking shreds. He wouldn’t be able to fuck another girl when I was done with him.
“No. It appears to be random. She was dressed for a date.” Nothing was random in this life. Nothing was a coincidence. “We’re holding him here, but he hasn’t spoken.”
I wanted him away from my girls and my business.
“Call Angelo to get him.” The rage inside me exploded into an inferno, burning away what little self-control I had. I needed an outlet for all this guilt and frustration, and I’d just found it. “But tell him not to touch the guy until I get there.”
I ended the conversation, but knowing I would soon kill the asshole did nothing to calm me. “Fuck!”
Rage tightened my every muscle as I jerked around towards the entrance. I ran smack into a soft body. I grasped their arms, looking for a fight. “Watch it, motherfu—.”
My words died as Grace trembled in my hold. Her royal blue eyes flooded with fear. Her ragged breaths filled the air. Her skin was clammy under my hands.
I loosened my hold, touching her gently. Feeling her warm body beneath my palms caused the rage to bleed from me.
“Grace.” She flinched. She scurried away from me. Shaking her head as a tear fell down her cheek.
“S-sorry.” She jumped again as her back hit the brick wall. She was like a little squirrel. Scared, ready to run, but unable to make her mind work.
I felt the loss of her. Felt this gaping chasm between us that I just seemed to make bigger.
My hands went limp at my sides as I slowly walked towards her. Her gaze darted around, but she didn’t move as I approached. I kept space between our bodies, even when all I wanted to do was hold her to me. Take her fear away.
Disgust swirled in my stomach as I realized it was me she was afraid of. Guilt was quickly becoming a constant presence in my life. It sat heavy in my gut. Coated my taste buds until it was all I swallowed down.
She continued to tremble as I raised my hands. I moved with care, making sure she saw what I was doing. I cupped her cheeks. Surprisingly, the shaking stopped as I brushed the tear from her smooth skin.
I tilted her head back until her gaze met mine. I kept my voice as gentle as my movements.
“I’ve done a lot of terrible shit in my life, Sunflower. I’ve killed and tortured people. I don’t feel remorse for most of it, and I’ll do it again. I forced you into this marriage, and I’m never letting you go. You can think a lot of bad things about me. You can hate me. Scream at me. Hit me. But know I will never lay a hand on you in violence. I will never hurt you.”
Her royal blue eyes stayed widened in fear.
My heart splintered and cracked in my chest. Breaking open from all the cuts she’d made in it.
She didn’t respond. She didn’t believe me. And I couldn’t blame her.
22
Vander
