AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My thoughts came to an abrupt halt. I gazed over the exterior of the house.Do I want to part ways, though?
But how could I stay with Talia after everything that had happened? Releasing a harsh breath, I began to cross the piss poor excuse for a lawn. Considering the sheer number of street thugs lining up in front of us, I felt a flash of cold fear race down my spine to think of Talia willingly walking into this rats’ nest, even with the gun Viktor said he’d given her.What could you hope to do here, princess?I ground my teeth at the natural endearment.
With Viktor dogging my steps, we advanced on the building. When I reached the cracked concrete stairs that led into the house, the front door banged open.
“Who the fuck do you think you are?” an unkempt boy challenged. The scruff on his face needed another five to ten years before he could be called a man...if he ever matured mentally.
“Frankie, is it?” When the thug nodded, I continued, “You have my wife in there. I’ve come to collect her.”
I stared hard at him, not flinching as he drew a gun and pointed it at the ground. Sure, the gangster might have some overly shiny gold weapon dangling from his fingertips, but we had sharp shooters in the vans, and their long rifles didn’t look like toys.
“You’ll have to wait in line,” Frankie sneered. “Her brother has words for her, and I doubt she’ll be speaking when he’s done.”
Viktor jerked. “She did it. She found him!”
Of course, she did.But I didn’t say it aloud. The sure vote of confidence was surprising, though, even to me. My heart leapt to my throat, and a slick sweat broke across my skin. It was followed by fury. How dare anyone touch her! Talia was mine; to punish or to cherish, I hadn’t decided yet. But no one, least of all her fiendish blood relative, was allowed to lay a hand on her.
“Step aside,” I now said to the street rat. The command hung between us, low and dark. I added to it by growling, “I’m not going to repeat myself.”
The pride of leading this ragtag group wasn’t enough to bolster Frankie’s courage against my wrath. The street thug caved. Waving his hand magnanimously, he said, “Go ahead. They’re upstairs, but don’t go shootin’ holes in my house!”
“As if it was in good condition to begin with,” Viktor sneered.
“Get down in the front lawn,” I commanded, heart still beating wildly in my chest. My instinct was to barrel into the house straight toward Talia, but years of fighting had taught me that I needed to move with tactical precision.
“Do as he says,” Viktor said, a smirk pulling at the corners of his mouth.
Frankie turned to deliver the command. The females rushed out of the house first, all in various stages of undress. A few beta males followed, and finally, abandoned by his crew, Frankie left. I wasted no time pushing inside.
Viktor followed, but I barely heard him. I paused only to ensure the room was clear and no one lay in wait to shoot me. The stairs creaked under my weight as I slipped into the cloying heat of the first floor.
I looked behind me and hissed to Victor, “Hang back.”
Viktor nodded, lips twisted in a knowing smile. “He won’t get away.”
“No, he won’t.”
Spying the open door at the end of the landing, I rushed inside and immediately saw Talia, groaning as she lay bent over a heavy piece of furniture. Our gazes locked, and I froze on the threshold.
“I did it,” she whispered.
There was hope there. It fucking filled her voice.
Dragging my eyes away from her, I focused on the room, taking in what looked to be the remnants of a battlefield. It took a moment to realize what I was seeing.
I met her gaze again, noting how her dark eyes flashed with victory.
In two steps, I crossed over the carnage and clasped her to me. Wrapping her in my arms, I bent her back and kissed her deeply. Her soft, warm lips moved hungrily against mine, those slender arms entwining around my neck. I moaned, a man starved. Talia whimpered needily in response, and I slid my tongue into her mouth, ready to devour her. The sharp, coppery tang of blood broke through my senses.
I pulled back, gazing down at her. Those generous lips were battered, a bruise fast blooming on her face. Her eyes fluttered open, and she searched my face.
“Who did this to you?” I ground out, knowing the answer but needing to hear her say it.
“It’s nothing, only a dead man’s final act.” Blood beaded from the wound our kiss had reopened. “There needed to be a blood penance to seal this kill. You say I’m innocent, but you’re still angry—and rightly so. I needed to do something, Constantine. If there’s any chance you’ll have me back, or even start to, I hope this is enough.”
I brushed my finger over her lip before sliding a glance to the floor. Her ogre of a brother lay dead, a bullet in his chest and his throat split open. Talia hadluredher brother to beat her before ending him. I let out a long, ragged breath.
“You should have shot him the moment he burst in here,” I rasped as I pressed her close.
