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His hand cupped back over my nose and mouth while I cried through the waves of what only he could bring me. Warmth shot over my ass and I barely noticed as he used something behind me to clean me up. The smooth feel was so wrong from what I knew should have been touching my ass. The paddle. His hand. Something that would punish me for the stubbornness I was showing.
“You break my heart, Lily. You really do.”
I wiped the tears from my eyes, refusing to turn around to face him. Shame for what I had done led me to dip lower and pull up my dress.
“They call me the ice queen at work. I guess that’s just who I am now. I’m sorry, Zain, but you have to see, I’m not the girl I once was. She’s dead now. She’s been dead since she left you.”
“You’re not the same. I see that. But your love for me is still alive.”
Slowly, I turned, meeting his eyes.
“I’ll always love you. It doesn’t mean that we can be together. I’m serious when I say we’re over. A relationship between us, a future, is impossible. We both know why.”
I didn’t wait to seek his permission as I headed for the door. That wasn’t who I was anymore. Lily, the girl, the submissive, was gone. The new woman who had taken her place didn’t take orders from anyone.
“Slave.” A threat laced his tone, but I didn’t so much as slow. Instead, I quickened my pace, the door almost within grasp.
“You’re not leaving.”
My heart was pounding as I reached for the lock and turned it. I couldn’t believe I’d made it so far. Was he really going to let me leave? The thought left an uneasiness, but I didn’t stop. I flung the door open and stepped through. Never once had I heard Zain approach. Fingers gripped my arm and I didn’t think as I jerked and raced for the elevator, pushing the button frantically.
“No, baby. Don’t do this.” He spun me around to face him and I brought my fist down on the back of his elbow again. I watched the arm drop and then pain race over his features, but he didn’t let up. His other arm wrapped around my waist. “Look at me. You love me. Now, stop this. Running away and ignoring what we both know isn’t going to make things easier. Whatever you’re afraid of, we can get past it. Is it Slade? Is that the reason why you’re denying what we both know?”
“You have to let go.” Even though I flailed, I wished what he spoke could happen. That we could get past it. But he didn’t know my brother. Didn’t understand or see what I did. He was bad. I couldn’t bring that sort of trouble back into my life.
Ding!
The sound of the doors opened while I tried to wrestle free.
“Zain, let—”
Stinging pain flared at my scalp from behind. One second, I was trying to fight Zain off, the next, I was trying to hold onto him as someone from behind fought to pull me free. I could see the panic and confusion so clearly written on my Master’s face. He wasn’t sure what was going on any more than I was, but we were both trying to disconnect me from the force that was hell bent on separating us.
“Let go!” I screamed. “You’re hurting me!” I grabbed Zain tighter.
“Baby, reach inside my jacket pocket and get my gun, I can’t let go of you.” Zain’s low voice had me obeying immediately. The moment I moved my hand from the grip on his jacket, an arm locked around my throat and jerked me free. The deafening explosion next to my ear had sound ceasing to exist. My heart…stopped. As if to tell me the love of my life no longer was inside of me. Or alive. Zain’s hand reached to his chest, blood oozing through his fingers as he crumbled to the floor.
Chapter 9
Slade
“Tell me you’ve got something. What the fuck is going on here?” My voice boomed through the street as I half stared at my men, half watched the ambulance drive away with who I now knew to be Zane Collins. Had it not been for my men alerting me to the gunshot and suspicious activity they picked up on the police scanner, I might have missed the whole episode of the police arriving.
Marcio glanced at Brace, who took over.
“They got him in the chest. Doesn’t look good. There were no witnesses to the attack, but it appears it happened just outside the elevator on the top floor. Witnesses reported a man forcing a screaming woman into a dark SUV in the parking garage.”
“His girlfriend? Shit, his family must have gotten to him.” My hand came up to my mouth while I shook my head. Why the fuck hadn’t he taken me up on my offer? Maybe he would have been safe. Now this, on top of my sister having some kind of break down and running off. I couldn’t stand her not being looked after. I supposed it was time I backed off, but I didn’t like her being so unprotected. Too much shit surrounded us. Bad blood came a dime a dozen in my circle and now she was part of it.
“Boss, there’s more.”
Brace glanced back at Marcio. I knew that look. They were hiding something.
“Well, what the fuck is it?”
What looked to be black lace was pulled from his pocket. The stocking attachments were the first thing to catch my attention.
“Speak, Brace. I’m not a fucking psychic. And stop looking at Marcio. He’s not going to help you. Just tell me.”
