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I'll spend days taking him apart piece by piece, just to hear him scream. Just to hear him beg for mercy. And then I'll put him back together and start all over again. Until I'm satisfied he's suffered enough.
Spoiler alert: it'll be a long fucking time before that day comes.
I have to pry Aurora's delicate little hands away from my shirt before I can tuck her into the passenger side of the SUV. She doesn't want to let me go. It breaks my fucking heart that I have to make her, but I want her as far from here as possible, post haste.
I brush tears from her round cheeks before securing the seatbelt around her. And then I press my lips to her forehead, unable to help myself. I need to touch her, need to soothe her. The compulsion to comfort her is overpowering. I feel her pain as if it's my own.
Shit, maybe it is.
With one look, I became hers to command. Already, I love her. Already, I'd kill for her. I don't even drink the water in this town, but who better to protect an angel than a demon?
I drive her straight to the Arakas compound—the series of smaller mansions Dante built around the large estate he owns on property just outside of Silver Spoon Falls. The place is fortified and under constant guard. No one gets in or out without approval, especially now that Belle and their baby, Snow, and Ariel live on the property.
She's sleeping by the time I pull through the gates, though she isn't resting peacefully. She mumbles in her sleep, too faintly for me to hear. It's not hard to guess where her mind is, though. Someone she trusted betrayed her, forcing her to spend two months in a waking nightmare. Of course she isn't sleeping peacefully. It'll be a long time before she does that again.
I bypass the main house and take her straight to mine, pulling up in front of the doors. She doesn't make a sound when I carry her inside. For a split second, I consider putting her in the guest room, but I don't.
I put her in my room. If I'm not here, I want her to wake up with my scent surrounding her so she knows where she is. Truth be told, I want her to get used to my scent all over her. I want her used to me. Maybe that makes me an asshole, but my cock hasn't gone down since I set eyes on her.
After everything she's been through, she needs time and distance before we get there. I'll give her as much as she needs. I won't rush her into anything or take more than she's willing to give. But I'm working on borrowed time here. I need her tied to me before her father gets back from D.C.
There's not a chance in hell that he'll let his baby girl date a motherfucker like me. She may be twenty-one, but he's the mayor. I've got enough blood on my hands to paint this entire town red. Not to mention, everyone in Silver Spoon Falls knows I'm an Arakas associate.
"No, please," Aurora whimpers in her sleep.
"Easy, starlight." I run my hand down the side of her face, crouching beside the bed. "You're safe now. I won't let anything happen to you again."
"Constantine," she sighs.
My fucking heart swells.
I watch her for a long moment, awed at how soft she is. At how innocent. Even after everything, she's so goddamn sweet, so pure. I'll never deserve her.
The thought settles like lead in my stomach, weighing me down. I climb to my feet, settling the blankets around her, and then stride from the room. I have to go back to my car to get my cell before I can call Dante and Dimitri.
"Is it done?" Dante asks as soon as he answers, sounding wide awake.
"Yeah, but there's a complication." That's an understatement. I left a house full of dead bodies in Copper Creek, and I've got the mayor's missing daughter in my bed. There's no explaining my way out of this one.
"What kind of complication?" Dante growls.
"Meet me at my house." I don't even try to explain by phone. I'll just have to do it again when I call Dimitri…and then again when they get here. "You better bring Bruno too."
"Fucking hell. I'll be there in five."
I hang up and dial Dimitri.
"It's four in the fucking morning, Constantine," he growls. "If you aren't dead, dying, or in jail, I may kill you."
"Unless we pull off a miracle, I may be going to prison. Quit bitching and get over here."
"Fuck my life. What happened?"
"I'll explain when you get here."
"Where the fuck are you? I thought you were looking for the Carmona Kings."
"Yeah, I lied. I was watching their place when you called. Just get over here and I'll explain. I'm at my house."
