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"Where are we going?" When he doesn't answer, I look back at him to find his usual scowl firmly back in place as he glares at the road as though it's personally offended him. "You know, I'm sure they have like a plastic surgeon or a dermatologist or something there," I muse.
His jaw ticks as he sits in silence, but I see the moment he decides to take the bait that I so happily laid out for him. "Where?" he grits out.
"At the hospital that we'll take you to for the psych eval. Surely they can do something for all those wrinkles you're creating by permanently looking like you shit your pants. Maybe a little Botox or something, right here." Reaching over, my thumb rubs at the spot between his brows that is constantly pinched and I'm shocked when he doesn't quickly pull away from my touch on his skin. Instead, he leans in slightly, absorbing the contact before remembering that were supposed to hate each other and smacking my arm away.
"Can you just shut up for a while? At least until we get there?" he grumbles, but his voice is lacking its previous disdain.
"Depends. Where isthere?And why aren't we going to my house?"
Nyx looks over at me and rolls his eyes before letting out a long, irritated sigh. "A pipe burst atRushand I need to go check on shit really quick. Madd is dealing with something atThe Den,Gage is with his father and Stone is in Oakland for the afternoon. Can you handle the detour,Princesa, or do I need to call your carriage to come cart you to your castle?"
"Oh, so the asshole has jokes now?" I snark before sighing and leaning back into the leather seat. "Fine, whatever," I murmur, even though I'm a little excited to see Nyx in a professional setting, like as a big boss instead of a big twat. Though I'm sure they are one and the same but if I find out that he's nice and sweet to literally everyone but me, I will probably end up throat punching him. I don't know what it is about this guy that brings murdery vibes out of me that I didn't even know I possessed.
Twenty minutes later, I'm sitting at the bar as I listen to Nyx's deep voice booming from a room at the back of the building. I don't know who he's yelling at but I do know that if it was me, I would have peed my pants a solid 10 minutes ago. Someone may or may not die today, or at least, wind up jobless. I actually find myself feeling bad for the poor sop, whoever they are. I was instructed tosit and staylike some sort of animal and I originally fought the order, but then the yelling started and I decided that this chair is the safest place for me.
I sit for another ten minutes, idly tapping my fingers on the bar with one hand and scrolling social media with the other when the front door to the bar swings open. It slams against the wall, scaring the living shit out of me. Swinging my gaze to whoever just barged in here, my body immediately cringes when I see who it is.Fuck, I thought we were done with these guys.
Raptor and Quan, my ex babysitters stroll in, one of them eyeing me like a piece of meat and the other like I'm trash that he'd love to dispose of. Swallowing down the nerves that instantly well in my stomach at their nearness, my eyes dart all over the room in some sort of instinctual, self-preservation move. Exits? Onlookers? Am I alone?
Footsteps from somewhere behind me have me jolting in my seat and I can honestly say, I have never been happier to see the big dickhead than I am right now. Nyx is definitely the lesser of two evils in this room. At least he doesn't make me feel like my body is covered in germs and I immediately need a shower the way that these guys do.
"Took you long enough!" Nyx barks. My head swivels in his direction but he's too busy glaring at the newcomers. A smirk tugs on the corner of my lips, threatening to emerge at the fact that his wrath is turned in their direction and for once, not in mine.
"We had shit to do," Quan grits out, but I don't miss the way he subtly shifts backward, as though his subconscious is aware that he should be afraid of Nyxon. He is like, six and a half feet tall and built like a pro wrestler so I understand the gangster's fear. Though, Iwasable to take him down the other day. Now the smirk really does come out to play as I replay the fight with fondness. Besting him was basically the highlight of my year.
"I don't give a shit what you had to do! I am your boss and when I call you, you come running. ¿Me entiendes? O necesitas otro recordatorio?"
My mouth gapes at hearing Nyx speak Spanish for the first time. It's the sexiest thing I have ever fucking heard. It rolls off of his tongue as though its his native language and it makes me realize that I have no idea about Nyx's past or his family other than he lost them when he was young. His skin is darker than Madd or Gage's and I know that their mother was Mexican American and that Gus is fully Hispanic. I wonder if Nyxon is as well?
Before I can even think more on it, or do something stupid like interrupt the argument to ask Nyx about his parentage, Raptor is stepping up and pushing Quan back with a stern glare in his direction. With more balls than I originally thought he possessed, he walks right up and takes Nyx's anger head-on.
"Lo sentimos,Jefe. No volverá a suceder. ¿Qué necesitas que hagamos?" Raptor dutifully apologizing and reporting for duty almost has a laugh barreling out of me and I have to literally bite down on my tongue to keep it in. Nyx's heavy, angry stare continues to bore holes into the side of Quan's head. After a very tense few moments where I am unsure if Nyxon is going to pull out a gun and kill Quan or just kick his ass, he finally nods once and looks to Raptor.
"I need you to take Ella to her house for me. Help her with whatever she needs you to do. She's moving so packing boxes, hauling furniture, whatever it is that she needs help with, you do it. One of you takes the Range Rover and helps her load her boxes into the back. Maddox will swing by and pick me up when he leavesThe Den." His voice is steely and authoritative as he barks out commands like a true gang-banging boss, however, his orders have my heart racing as panic begins to spiral inside of my chest. I don't want to be alone with them.
What the fuck is Nyxon thinking? Hell no!
Quan's menacing glare shoots in my direction and slowly morphs into a terrifying grin that has me seconds from hiding under the fucking bar. Holy shit, he looks like the Joker or some other creepy as hell villain. Nope. Just nope.
"Nyxon, I'll just wait here until you're done. It's not a big deal," I start, standing on shaky legs as I make my way to him, hoping to plead my case. "Or, if you're too busy, Madd can just come and get me when he's done, it's fine—"
"I don't know when Maddox will be done. He's handling his own shit right now and his pussy whipped ass will drop everything to come and pick your spoiled ass up. Just go with Quan and Raptor and start packing your shit. The sooner you're done, the sooner we can go the fuck home!" His clenched jaw and irritated eyes that were previously turned on Quan are now fully pointed at me.
Hoping to appeal toanypart of him that may have cared for me, even if it was a long time ago, I force myself to be vulnerable. Letting my walls down, I show him how fucking nervous these dudes make me and how much my gut is telling me not to be alone with them.
"Please, Nyx. I don't want to go with them. I can just," I sigh, my eyes darting in their direction before coming back to Nyxon. I whisper, "I'll just get an Uber or wait for you. Please."
His eyes flit between mine like he's trying to understand what my deal is. His eyes narrow in confusion and his Adam's apple bobs, likely seeing the fear on my face.
One of the guys behind us scoffs and mutters something that sounds a lot likeweak.
And just like that, it's all gone. All of it. Any compassion, any emotions, just gone. His face shuts down and the ruthless gangster is all that's left. Any softness I thought Nyx may have had for me, goes out the damn window. He really doesn't give a shit about me, does he?
Hold Me-The Sweeplings
"I am not going to repeat myself, Isabella. Do as you're told, for once," he growls, his voice so low and terrifying that the hairs on my arms stand on end. Any retort I had dies in my mouth as I feel myself physically flinch away from him. My eyes burn but I refuse to let the tears fall. I will not show him how he affects me and how deeply his words cut.
With a final look into his pitch-black eyes, I spin on my heel and grab my bag off the bar before passing all three men and storming outside. I don't stop until I'm leaning against the Range Rover. I walk to the back passenger door, wanting to put as much distance between myself and whichever of the assholes ends up driving. I hope that it's Raptor because out of the two, he gives me the least amount of creeps. I'd rather have someone blatantly check me out than to look at me like they want to tear me to pieces and bathe in my blood.
