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“You’re so goddamn perfect, Stacia. I’ll be a fucking dead man before I let anything else bad happen to you. This shit ends today. I promise.” Talon brushes his lips to mine. “You’ll see. I want you to relax and not worry about a thing anymore.”

“You make it sound so easy,” I say, resting my head on his bare shoulder.

“Because it is.” Talon meets my gaze. “A hit on you is a hit on the St. Germaine empire and the Looking Glass. Someone wants to destroy it all, and now that we have the hitman, the court won’t be able to turn their backs and demand you clean up for them.”

“I want to talk to him,” I say, sobering up from the high of passion. “I should be the one to get answers.”

“I don’t want you to worry about it. We’ll have the name by tonight. Christos is working on it.” Talon adjusts me in his arms.

“Talon, please. We had an agreement. You wouldn’t leave me out of things. This guy tried to kill me. Esteban was injured because of this. I want him to pay.” I purse my lips, my anger rising.

“How can I deny you, wild child? Shit. I’ll hold the fucker down for you. No one’s getting away with this. I swear on my life.”

And I believe him.

22

Bloody Times

“I’mstartingtogetwhy Daddy wanted me to maintain the party girl persona and just promote the club,” I say, standing outside an old factory on the outskirts of LA. Half of the chain-link fence lies in a crumpled mess, clearly cut and driven through several times. The barbed wire does nothing to keep anyone out, but I don’t think anyone but criminals and vagabonds would want to be here. This is where the Looking Glass members do a lot of their shady business. At least, that’s according to Talon.

“You don’t have to go in. I’m sure Christos has already cut the answers right off the man’s tongue.” Talon hugs me close, refusing to put even a foot of space between us.

Leandro argued with him over letting me come along, but I needed somebody to stay with Esteban, and Leandro needs to remain hidden. I know it bugs him, because he wants to protect me, but right now, he’s the one who needs the true protection. I’m not going to let him go down because of all this bullshit. I won’t.

“I can handle it, Talon. Just lead away.” I clutch onto his arm, pulling him forward until he stops dragging his feet and guides me toward the rolling metal door, half open where semis used to load and unload whatever product that was made here.

Two men stand in the entry, parting ways at the sight of me and Talon. I don’t have to ask to know that they work for Christos. I don’t know his real business, but I know he launders money and controls a couple businesses for Esteban. That’s how they got to know each other and became best friends.

A man howls, his voice ringing through the air, bouncing off the walls of this vast, empty space. My steps falter at hearing his pain, and I swallow the bile trying to sneak up my throat. I thought I had finally gained a stronger stomach than this, but there’s just something about another human’s agony that I can’t seem to handle. But this guy tried to kill me. He doesn’t deserve my sympathy.

“Stacia, turn around. You’re losing color.” Talon tries to spin me away, but I plant my feet to the concrete floor.

“I’m fine. Stop treating me like I’m some fragile little girl. You just fucked the hell out of me. I’m strong enough, and you know it.” I jab my finger to his chest. “You might call me a wild child, but I’m a woman fucking scorned. I am handling this.”

Talon offers me a wicked smile, his handsome features lighting up. “Bossy is sexy on you, but only because I want to spank you again. Keep talking to me like that, and you won’t be able to walk normal for a week.”

Heat crawls up my chest only to have another scream splash the warmth away. I square my shoulders, glowering at Talon as I push past him, heading in the direction where I’m pretty sure the man is located.

Talon doesn’t let me get far on my own and hooks his arm around my waist, pulling me to him protectively. He leans in and nips my ear, releasing a sexy growl that I struggle to ignore. But I think he wants to distract me. He wants me to turn around and run away. Even if he thinks I can handle myself, I know he’d prefer to do everything for me. That’s just him. He doesn’t want me thinking that I need to prove myself. But it’s not about that. It’s about making a goddamn point. I might be an heiress. I might be known for reality TV, drinking too much, and partying, but I am far more than that. I have a business degree. I know my way around sleazy men and how to manipulate them despite their misogyny and fragile masculinity. There’s power in my fucking pussy, and it’s those who act like their weak nut sacks are made of steel that will fall before me.

“If you throw up or pass out, I will fucking spank you for ignoring me,” Talon mutters, strutting toward the open door of a dark room that looks to be an old office.

“Keep threatening me and you’re going to find out what it’s like to experience my true wrath. Don’t think I won’t fuck you senseless.” I smirk at his softening expression. “I have my own collection of cocks, you know. It’s only fair to let me use them.”

He tips his head back with a laugh, his voice booming through the air. Christos materializes in the dark doorway, hearing our arrival.

I gape at the blood splashed across his plastic apron. “What in the fucking serial killer attire is this?” Because it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen or expected to see on Christos.

Talon practically cackles, far more amused by this whole situation than he should be. But then again, he’s known as the Executioner at the Looking Glass. I’ve always known he had a dark side. I just have never truly seen it for myself.

“I thought you were going to convince her to stay with Esteban.” Christos yanks the apron off and drops it to the floor. He wipes his bloody hands on his dark jeans, though it does nothing for the sticky stains on his skin. “He’s not responding to any of my methods. Whoever hired him knew exactly what he was paying for. This guy is willing to die to keep secrets.”

I rub my throat, praying that the lump stays down. I don’t even want to know what his supposed methods are. I can already imagine a bunch of disturbing things flitting through my mind.

“You just haven’t asked the right questions. You have to negotiate. If he thinks he’s going to die regardless, why would he help you?” Talon says, scooping the bloody apron off the floor. He tosses it back to Christos. “Let this be a lesson to both of you, considering you are going to be part of the King’s Court soon enough.”

It takes everything in me not to frown. The last place I want to end up is on the Looking Glass King’s Court, especially after they demanded I frame Leandro for murders he’d never commit.

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