Page 27 of Savage Don

Talking about death like that is part of the reason I want to escape my family so badly. Death is serious, but to men like this, killing is as naturally as taking a deep breath.

I hate it.

“Monster…” I hear myself whisper. Really, I should be terrified, but somehow, the pain bouncing around my skull is only making me bolder.

“Did you not hear what I said?” Ray asks, tilting his head to the side as he pours some more water from the pitcher into the glass. “He drugged you, and he was about to rape you, too. Luckily, I was there to get you out of that God-forsaken frat house.”

A little spasm twists through my body at the weight of his accusation.

“I was drugged at the party?” I ask, rubbing my temple as Ray pushes the cup of water towards me.

“You really are a good listener,” Ray teases. “Though, I’m surprised you can remember all of this without taking a copious amount of notes.”

“What are you talking about?” I mumble, mindlessly taking the glass of water from him. At least I know it’s not poison.

“I’ve been watching you for a while now, Francesca Galli. Obviously, I know where you sneak off to at night. But I’m nothing if not detail-oriented. I’ve seen your notebooks, watched as you furiously try to keep up in those lectures. Your heart is in a good place, and you’re clearly a smart girl, but you’ll never get the marks you want if you don’t relax while you’re trying to learn.”

“Relax?”

The cool wave of water that slips down my throat turns fiery as I process what I’m being told.

“You’re too uptight.”

All of this time, while I thought I was evading the eternal gaze of my overbearing father, someone else was keeping watch. Studying. Taking notes.

“Maybe that’s because I’m constantly being watched!” I rasp. Instantly, I wish I hadn’t. No matter how incredulous I am at what I’m hearing, my body cannot keep up.

“You didn’t know that,” Ray shrugs.

My eyes have fully adjusted to the darkness now, and I can make out the faintest hint of a smirk lifting up the edges of his dark lips.

He may be the most handsome man I’ve ever seen in-person, but he’s also infuriating. This is just a game to him.

“Aren’t you a little old to be creeping around house parties and stalking college girls?” I find the energy to bite back.

“I’ve never been young enough to voluntarily go to a frat party. And I didn’t think you were the type either.”

“I’m not,” I mumble, remembering how hesitant I was to give into Janice’s demands.

Janice.

She must be worried sick about me right now.

“Yet you still risked everything you’ve worked for to go to one,” Ray points out.

“How do you know what I’ve worked for?”

“I’ve been following you, remember? Try to keep up, kitten.”

It’s like he’s purposely provoking me, trying to get a reaction from my aching mind. Well, if that’s the case, then he’s successful, because before I can stop myself, I’ve tossed the water in my cup at him.

But the water doesn’t even come close to hitting him. The giant moves like a jaguar, stepping aside before a single drop can touch his tight black turtleneck.

“Easy there, tiger,” Ray warns. “I don’t take kindly to party animals making a mess of my place.”

His place.

A flash of sharp agony shoots up the back of my neck.