AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My natural instincts kick in immediately, and my other hand flies out and connects with Eddie's chest, halting him. I start pushing him back into the hospital. This is bad. This is really, really bad. I want him to hold me. I want to fall into his arms, be protected, loved, and secure. It is in this moment I realize I trust him. I wholeheartedly trust everything about Eddie, regardless of his identity. It was always him. His name and status are irrelevant.
“Eddie, it's fine. You need to go,” I say to him, pleading with my eyes. He grabs my hand then, pulling it from his chest and enveloping it in his by his side. The familiar strum of his thumb on my hand provides almost instant relief. But I can’t lean on him. I have to handle my own shit and not get him involved.
“Not without you,” Eddie says, looking at me intensely. Steve's grip on my arm tightens, and I wince.
“I said, get your fucking hands off her,” Eddie says again, his tone lethal, moving forward faster than I can blink and grabbing Steve’s arm, shoving him away from me. Pulling me against him, I feel his body heat as he steps in front of me slightly, his chest full and high. I nearly lose my breath when I realize he is putting his body in front of mine for protection. His body is tight, his already tall posture now looking even taller. I grit my teeth harder, surprised they don’t crack under the pressure. I can’t get him involved, but my body won't move as Eddie still holds my hand. I lean into him a little. I need him. I need Eddie to be safe and to be with me. Steve takes a few steps back and starts to laugh.
“I have a tape,” Steve taunts with a grin on his face like this is the best day ever, and my body shivers.
“What tape?” Eddie asks, moving forward again, not at all intimidated by Steve. The first person in my entire life not to be. My breath stops in preparation for Steve's words. I can’t move. My body is in complete shock and my muscles are locked in place. Eddie is going to find out exactly who I am, and he will drop my hand quicker than touching a hot poker. As if a billionaire wants to be involved with a girl like me.
“It's Katie here, flat on her back. Enjoying my dick,” Steve spits out, and I feel like I’m going to be sick, my eyes stinging with renewed tears. I hate him. I always hated him, but at this moment, I absolutely despise him. My heart hurts. I didn’t think it was possible for it to hurt any more, but it does. The sting of shame coats my skin as bile rises in my throat.
“Stop, Steve. I will get you the money. Eddie, just go inside,” I say, not sure how I am even standing upright. I feel dizzy. Eddie’s body is still stiff beside me, and I feel his hand begin to move. I start to let go of him, and my heart shatters all over again. He isn't here for me. He would never have loved me, anyway. But I really, really want him to.
But he doesn’t let go. He regrips my hand and holds me tighter.
“Go inside? This fucker is blackmailing you?” Eddie says, looking at me, his eyes molten fire. I see him clenching his jaw. His body is wired. He is not happy. Not at all.
“No. I’m blackmailing you,” Steve says, walking toward Eddie slowly, cocky, with a bit of swagger like he holds all the cards in this situation. Because he does. “You’re a Rothschild, aren’t you? Worth billions, and you probably fund this entire hospital. Kitty Cat, is this who you fucked to get this job?” Steve is toying with us and enjoying it.
“Fuck you,” I spit out.
“You got trouble out here, brother?” I hear a man's voice from behind me, and I turn quickly, looking over my shoulder to see Tennyson standing there, just behind us, arms crossed over his chest like a security guard. Harrison and Ben are just behind him. But Eddie still doesn’t move. His eyes are firmly on Steve. It is all my fault. I am going to take down all these men. My eyes flick across to the media, and I see the three Rothschild women over there, grabbing the journalists’ attention and moving the cameras farther away from us and around the corner.What is happening?
“Well, now we have a billionaire-dollar audience. Let me cut to the chase. I want a million dollars, in cash, or else I will put your girlfriend all over the internet for the world to see just how perfect her little pussy is,” Steve says, and in that moment, I realize that my life is never going to be the same again.
CHAPTER THIRTY THREE - EDDIE
The guy harassing Katie barely finishes his sentence before my fist flies out and connects with his face. I hear the crunch of his cheekbone before he falls over, lying flat on his back on the sidewalk like the piece of shit that he is. If he has a video, no one will be seeing it.
“Shit!” I hear Harrison curse from behind us.
“Go, baby bro,” Tennyson says, stepping up to us, grabbing my shoulders just as I lunge forward to punch this fucker again. Not even a second later, I hear yelling as security comes running. They hold him on the pavement, but he is barely lucid.
“Get up, you fucking piece of shit,” I seethe. I have never been this furious. My body hums with adrenaline as I try to get out of Tennyson’s grasp just so I can punch this fucker again. How dare he touch her. How dare he threaten her. How dare he blackmail any of us. I look down at Katie, who I can feel is shaking by my side, and I try to rein in my anger. Her eyes water as she looks up at me.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” she says over and over, like this is her fault, and she starts to step away from me. Pulling her back to me, my hand still holds hers tightly. I reach out for her with my other hand, cupping it around her middle and tugging her close. She isn’t going anywhere.
“It’s okay. I’ve got you.” I hug her tight, wrapping one arm completely around her, the other cupping her head, keeping her with me. I breathe the words into her hair as I tuck her into me. She takes a deep breath, and then I feel her let go, her body relaxing into mine as she lets me hold her. She gives herself to me, and I am never fucking letting her go. Her arms circle around my torso, and she buries her head in my chest. I don’t need to look at her to know that she is crying. Her body is shaking almost uncontrollably, my shirt already wet.
My knuckles hurt, but my heart hurts more. I have a million fucking questions running through my brain, including who is he, and why is he calling her fucking Kitty Cat? It took me a while to find her tonight. After searching half the hospital, Shelley pointed in this direction while she was on the phone, clearly knowing who I was searching for. When I looked through the doors and saw her speaking to this guy outside the hospital, my stomach churned, and I almost walked away. But there was something about the way she was standing, and one look at him and I knew he was trouble, whoever he is.
“You guys should go,” Harrison murmurs, coming up to my side, looking down at the piece of shit before us. My eyes are glued to him as he rolls around and moans on the pavement, his hand grabbing his cheek. The more I look at him, the more I realize he is obviously drug addicted. His eyes are black, his appearance disheveled, and he stinks. I glance at his hand, his skin scattered with random tattoos, reminding me of the way he had a hold on her arm just moments ago. I want him in pain. I want him hurt and on the pavement, but my immediate concern is her.
“Sir,” Tony says, grabbing my elbow, and I look back at my brothers.
“Go. We got it.” Ben nods, and I know that they do so I don’t hesitate. I lift Katie into my arms, her barely weighing a thing, and her arms wrap around my neck, her fingers instantly digging into her familiar place at my nape. As Tony and I walk to the car, I see movement to the side and look up, noticing a young girl who looks just as disheveled, her blond hair matted, her face dirty, and her eyes lock with mine. I watch her as I walk. She doesn’t have a camera or cell phone, so she’s not taking photos of what’s happening. She is just watching everything before she steps away and ducks back into the shadows.
“You fucking asshole. I will sue you for that,” the guy says from where he lies on the sidewalk as he is pulled to his feet by Harrison’s security team. His hands are secured behind his back, and I notice his face is already starting to swell. I want to step forward and hit him again. I am not a violent person. Never have been. But I swear if I ever see him again, I will end him.
“My place, Tony,” I instruct him as he opens the door of the car, and I sink into the back seat, keeping Katie on my lap, my hold on her unwavering. She hasn’t seen my place before. All the time we spent with each other has been in her apartment. Even though both places are secure, mine is bigger, and I know my brothers will come around later. There is a lot to unpack from this.
“I’m sorry,” she says again quietly, her face leaning on my chest, now looking out the window as we drive down the street. Her body is still shivering, her nervous system almost completely out of control.
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” I say, my hand rubbing up and down her back, trying to soothe her, the other curled around her legs.
“I have probably just ruined your life. He will sue you. He is an asshole like that.” Shaking my head, I lean down to place my lips on her head.
