Page 49 of Hide Little Traitor

Ryker’s chuckle drags my attention from my woman splayed across the marble counter in front of us, and when I glance up at him, his amber eyes are full of amusement.

“Really, King? You might as well have pissed on her to mark your territory.”

Ignoring the gun pressed to his lower back, he steps forward, leaning over the counter to brush the tears from Chloe’s cheek.

“You okay, Siren?”

She shakes her head as a deep sob tears from her chest, making my own ache.

If it weren’t for the fact that Kingston is far more likely to shoot me than one of his own men, I would be right beside him.

It’s obvious how much Ryker cares for Chloe, and after the hell my family has put her through, she deserves as much love and affection as she can get, even if it doesn’t come from me.

For my part in her most recent time in the cellar beneath the Lombardi compound, I deserve her hatred.

Ryker’s attention flicks up to Kingston, who still holds onto Chloe’s hips, keeping her in place.

I’m not sure who he’s trying to punish with this show of dominance, but the fact he could cause her any pain makes me want to kill him for an entirely different reason to the one I’ve lived by for most of my life.

“You think she’s going to agree to marry you when you’re hurting her like this?” he rumbles. “You think she’s ever going to love you when you’re being so fucking cruel.”

Kingston’s dark eyes flash with something that looks a lot like regret, but it’s gone as quickly as it appeared.

“You can leave,” he says to the two guards who escorted us through the house. Or, more accurately, mansion.

This place is fucking massive, even by Mafia family standards.

If it weren’t for the fury radiating off Damon beside me, I would have thought he was unbothered given his complete silence, but when I look up and see his bruised jaw click with tension, I realize he’s seconds away from losing his shit. Once again proving his feelings toward Chloe are far deeper than hatred.

As soon as the guards are out of sight, Kingston carefully helps Chloe stand but holds her against him.

He drops a soft kiss to her temple, and although I expect her to be rigid in his arms after what he just did, she makes no move to escape him.

Ryker narrows his eyes on his boss.

“I’m glad you could make it for our big day,” Kingston says, dragging his eyes over each of us.

“She’s not marrying you,” Damon snaps, stepping forward as he pulls his gun from its holster.

The fact we weren’t searched on the way in seems like an oversight, especially considering how many years we’ve been hunting Kingston.

“It’s cute that you think a gunshot wound would be enough to stop me.”

Ryker steps around the island slowly at the same time I step forward.

Kingston may deserve to pay for his sins, but I’m not about to watch Chloe become collateral damage.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

CHLOE

NOW

Ialmost wish Damon would aim lower and put me out of my misery.

It’s a morbid thought, but the turmoil in my chest borders on excruciating.

Having the four of them in one room is like having my heart stepped on repeatedly, the reminder that they’ll never be mine making my entire body ache.