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“I will—if you keep your mouth shut.” I reach out and stroke a fingertip down her cheek. “Show me you can follow directions, Piper. Prove to me you can be obedient.”
She swats me away, her hand shaking in fury. Her nostrils flare. “I already told you: I’m not a dog.”
“Call yourself whatever you like,kiska.But whatever you choose, know that I will take care of you. I will protect you. All you have to do in return is every single thing I say.”
“Oh, is that all?” she snips sarcastically. “Sounds completely reasonable and not at all psychotic.”
I click my tongue in disappointment. “We’ll talk again later. After you’ve had time to think through my offer.”
Rooney raises a brow, and I nod. No more fucking around. It’s clear that this is the only way to get through to the stubborn girl before me.
But when he steps forward, the little bit of calm Piper managed to cling to evaporates. In an instant, she’s thrashing like a maniac, throwing herself back into the crib and lunging towards the door.
“No!” she shrieks, her voice breaking with pure fear. “Don’t you dare fucking touch me! Get your hands off of me!”
Rooney grabs for her arms. As soon as he manages to get one, she frees the first. They go through the whole routine a few times over. It’s a pitiful display of snotty crying, pained grunting, the two of them helpless and hapless against each other.
But she can only hold out for so long. When Rooney finally manages to capture both of Piper’s arms behind her back, she collapses forward with a sob.
“Please,” she begs me. “Please don’t do this, Timofey. Please.”
It’s a far cry from the way she stepped forward during the meeting earlier, addressing a room full of Bratva lieutenants like she was ready to square up with them right then and there.
“Stop resisting,” James barks. He drives a knee into Piper’s lower back, taking her down to the floor.
I told him to arrest her, but the sight still sets off alarm bells in my head.
No one should be touching her like that.Ever.
It’s the same sense of protectiveness I felt in the alley the night we met. I was there to scare her myself—but the moment that drunkard wrapped his grimy, unworthy hands around her neck, I wanted to slaughter him.
“Get her under control and out to your car,” I bite out.
“What the hell does it look like I’m trying to do?”
I ignore his tone and step out into the hall. Benjamin is trying to lift his little head to follow the commotion, but he’s still too young. I’m grateful for that. He doesn’t need to remember this.
A minute later, James walks out with a struggling Piper next to him. She’s dragging her feet, but she’s not fighting anymore. She’s just limp and unresisting. Her breath is coming in quick gasps. Hyperventilating. Fear choking her out from the inside.
“Stand her up so she can breathe, Rooney. We don’t need another dead body to deal with.”
“Do you want me to arrest her or not?” he complains. “This is how it has to be done.”
“It’s going to be done the way I say it will be done. Do what I say or you’ll be the one in cuffs,mudak.”
He looks over his shoulder at me, his face twisted into a grimace. Then he releases her and backs off with a huffy sigh.
Piper stands up and sucks in a deep breath. Her trembling eases.
Then she turns and charges directly at the officer.
21
TIMOFEY
Rooney stumbles back against the wall in surprise. Piper takes the opportunity to drive her shoulder into his chest a second time. Air whooshes out of his lungs. For a second, I think Piper might have won this fight. I might have to step in on Rooney’s behalf.
Then he grabs her with his left hand, yanks her towards him, and cocks his right hand high into the air.
