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“I told you to wait upstairs,” I snarl.
I don’t like her seeing this side of me—the darker, unhinged side. I want to be a good man and hide and shield all the bad in the world from her.
“I don’t want you to kill him.” Her voice is small and pleading, and that makes me furious.
Doesn’t she understand how this works?
“You do realize he would have killed you in a heartbeat. Actually, he would have probably raped you first, then killed you.”
I watch her recoil at my words, and I almost wish I wouldn’t have said them, but she needs to hear this. Needs to understand what kind of people are after her. They’re not like me. They will not offer her a chance. They’ll just take. Which is why I’m here now, protecting her, making certain she’s okay.
“Why don’t you stay and watch?”
Her eyes go wide, but she doesn’t make a move to leave. Her body trembles, and I fear how she’ll look at me after this moment.
Shoving the insecure thoughts away, I turn my attention back to the asshole in front of me. “Last chance to speak.”
“Fuck you,” he gurgles.
I’m shocked the man hasn’t bled out yet. Must be his lucky day.
“Nice choice of final words.” I grab him by the head and pull it back, exposing his throat. I hold the knife to the skin under his ear and drag it across to the other side. The knife easily slides through the flesh.
If he wasn’t bleeding out before—he is now. Blood pours from the wound like a small waterfall over his chest and into his lap. There’s a copper tinge to the air, and I can taste blood on my tongue.
My gaze flashes to Kiera standing in the doorway, looking like she grew roots and became one with the floor. I place the knife back on the table and take a step toward her. All the blood drains from her face, making her look as pale as a ghost. I’m not doing this to scare her, but to show her how ruthless this world can be—and maybe so she can see the real monster I am.
“This is how my world works, Keira. It has been like this since before I was born, and it’s never going to change. It’s kill or be killed.”
Shock and fear reflect back at me in her eyes, giving away just how terrified she is. I want to comfort her, but my hand and clothes still have this fucker’s blood on them.
I can’t touch her like this. I don’t think she would want me to touch her either. I take another step toward her, and she takes a step back. Then she stares at me for a long moment before turning and running back the way she came.
Emotions swirl out of control inside me. Maybe giving her some time to digest this would be the best plan of action—because as badly as I want to go to comfort her, I know she needs to see this for what it is.
A world where you kill or be killed.
Chapter 11
Keira
Witnessing Damon as the cruel criminal he’s always claimed to be is terrifying. I knew he killed people, but there’s nothing like actually seeing it occur right in front of you. I walk up the stairs two at a time and right past two of his men standing guard at the top.
They don’t pay me any attention, and I don’t pay them any. I’m confused. My stomach twists into knots. The same hands that bring me pleasure, also deliver death.
I need to stop thinking about that man in the basement, imagining him dead. I start walking around the club carelessly. I don’t want to be here right now, but I told Damon I wouldn’t leave again, and I wasn’t going to break that promise—no matter what he had done.
Instead of breaking down crying or running away, I head back to Damon’s office. The hall is quiet, quieter than usual. I’m almost to the door, my fingers grasping for the knob, but that’s as far as I get.
In an instant, someone grabs me from behind, flipping me around and slamming me into the nearest wall. My vision blurs. The air in my lungs expels. Fear overtakes me.
Before a scream can rip from my throat, a hand is wrapping around it, squeezing so hard, blackness overtakes my vision.
Eyes so dark and cold they make me shiver stare me down. I’ve never seen this man’s face before, but he looks oddly familiar.
“Sweet, Kiera, I’ve been looking for you.”
He smells dangerous, and his body takes up all the space in the hall. He holds me with little effort, and I don’t even make an attempt to escape. There would be no point. He could easily snap my neck.
“Didn’t you get my message? I told you I was coming for you. You should have just waited for me at your place.” There’s a hint of humor to his words. A sinister smile pulls at his lips, revealing perfectly straight white teeth. Of course, the lion about to devour me has perfect teeth.
