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After a few minutes of assessing his prey, he knocked back his beer and drained the bottle. His hand shook slightly; he was probably still unnerved from our encounter. The coward needed liquid courage before he’d try to drug another innocent woman.
Apparently, he’d chugged enough beer to need a piss. I followed him down the short corridor to the dingy bathroom. Just before he could shut the door behind him, I threw my weight against it, knocking him off-balance. My knife was in my hand as I kicked the door closed, trapping him with me.
I didn’t give him time to scream for help. My blade sliced across his throat, and hot blood sprayed my face. His dark eyes widened in shock, and he lifted a hand to the gaping wound, as though he could hold the blood inside his body. I gripped his shirt in my fists, holding him upright so he could see death staring him in the face.
“I should’ve made you scream for mercy,” I growled down at him as his mouth opened and closed like a dying fish. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t make you suffer for the last moments of your miserable life.”
I drove my knife deep into his gut and twisted. A wet, choking sound caught in his ruined throat, and the whites of his eyes flashed as they rolled with agony.
“You like making women feel powerless? Do you feel like a big man when you rape them while they’re unconscious?” I seethed. “You’ll never hurt an innocent woman ever again.”
I ripped my blade from his stomach and slammed it between his legs. Even though he had no hope of survival, I relished the abject horror in his eyes at being gelded.
I leaned in close, baring my teeth at him like a feral animal. He’d tried to drug Evelyn. He’d wanted rape her.
He was dying far too quickly.
“You’ll never touch her,” I snarled, his blood cooling on my rage-hated cheeks.
I would do what was necessary to keep her safe. Crawford would never do this for her. He only cared about his own miserable life. He’d put her at risk for wealth and power.
And yet, she was engaged to him. She belonged to that bastard.
For now.
With an animal growl, I drove my knife into my prey’s failing heart and allowed myself to imagine it was George Crawford’s lifeblood spilling over my hand. Soon, his eyes would turn glassy, and his features would go slack, his mouth dropping open in a silent, perpetual scream.
I stepped away from the dead man and allowed him to drop to the ground like the trash he was. Then, I crossed to the grubby sink and washed away the crimson that coated my face and hands.
Before I closed the bathroom door, I twisted the lock so that no one would be able to enter once I exited. They’d have to get the staff to unlock it, and by then, I’d be gone.
I strolled around the crowded dance floor and made my way out into the warm night air. No one screamed in alarm behind me. They wouldn’t find his body for a few more minutes, at least.
I wound my way through the crowded streets, losing myself in the bustle of increasingly drunken people as the city came alive for late-night revelry. My heartbeats slowed from the rush of murderous adrenaline, and I walked with nonchalance that wouldn’t attract any attention from passersby. I took a breath and further soothed the last of my roiling emotions.
Evelyn was safe. I’d protected her from one monster tonight.
Soon, I’d eliminate the other threat to her safety: George Crawford was a dead man.
Chapter 10
Evelyn
Pale blue eyes shot through with golden fire burned into my soul. Warmth bloomed beneath the surface of my skin, and those eyes trailed over every inch of my body, caressing me like the lick of a sensual flame. His full lips tilted in an arrogant smirk, as though he knew exactly how his intense gaze affected me; it made me acutely aware of his presence in a way I’d never experienced before.
Long fingers trailed along my collarbone, brushing my hair over my shoulder so he could explore the curve of my neck. He tested my racing pulse, and his white teeth flashed in a purely primal, wicked grin.
The effect was stunning, knocking the air from my chest. Electricity crackled along my skin, arcing between us to create a sizzling connection. Little sparks pinged over my bare flesh, the sensation almost too intense to bear.
An answering spark danced between my legs, and my core heated.
His fingers trailed lower, brushing the line of my sternum as he traced a lazy path down my body. My breasts felt full and achy, and my nipples peaked. They throbbed in time with my clit, desperate for his merciful touch.
He loomed over me, his wicked smile taunting as he caressed the curve of my breasts without touching me where I needed it most. I whined in need and arched toward his big hands, but he eluded me with a low chuckle. The slightly cruel sound rumbled through me, a vibration between my legs. My thighs grew slick: a strange, new sensation.
My cheeks flushed with embarrassment at my wanton reaction, but I couldn’t break from his burning gaze. His nostrils flared, a predator catching my scent. His pupils dilated, darkening with desire that matched my own.
One hand continued teasing around my breasts, a maddening touch. His other lifted to cup my cheek, his thumb hooking below my jaw. He held me as though I was made of porcelain as he tipped my head back, so I was locked in his fiery stare.
