Page 51 of Ferocious Nightmare

"You just told me, dummy. You want power. You didn’t want to talk to Marie. You wanted to be invited in. You’re here to make a power grab. Not so smart, in the middle of King territory.”

"It's the perfect location," he disagreed with her. "We take them right where it hurts, in the central hub of their territory." Suddenly Angel moved, his hand swinging from her to me. "She's right, asshole. I don't want her. It's you I want. Your power is waning in this territory. That’s why you’re planning on killing your own father. Give everything to me and I’ll let you live. Give me the in I need to take over your father and we’ll share your territory. But if you don’t, I’ll kill you and take your woman. I’ll fuck her every night and keep her as mine." He grinned, nodding at his crotch. “I want you on your knees. Bow down to me and suck my dick. Show some respect for your new king.”

I growled, stepping forward, and all the sudden there were twenty guns pointed at me. “Surrender to me. Put down your guns.”

I still had my gun trained on him, but even if I killed Angel first, it would only take down one cockroach.

He'd easily be replaced by one of the men in this room, who would take Aster, and would make good on his promise to use her.

Was it worth my pride to lower my gun first? To give them my territory, to possibly save her?

If I lowered my gun first, they could kill me on the spot.

Was it worth it to save Aster?

The answer came immediately.

Yes.

I would do anything to keep Aster safe, even if I had only a one percent chance of success.

In that moment, I knew. Even with all our games and fighting, she was worth my life.

I would die first before letting anyone hurt her.

And all the money and bullets in the world would be worth the chance of saving her.

I began to lower my gun, when Aster spoke up first. "Unfortunately for you, that's not happening."

He swung his face towards her, keeping his gun trained on me. She'd reached back, grabbing an elderly man in the background, and now had the knife held out to his neck, threatening him with it.

Angel laughed, shaking his head. "That old man? He means nothing to me."

"Oh really?" Aster ticked an eyebrow upward. "Should we see if he bleeds just as red as you do then?"

She dug her knife into the man’s neck.

"Shit!" Angel roared, raising his hands into the air. "Fine!"

"Everyone put your weapons on the floor and step away from them, or I will kill him.”

No one moved.

A trickle of red dripped down the man’s neck as Aster dug it in deeper.

"Stop." Angel's voice had changed, from anger to panic. "Do what she says," he commanded his men.

"You first," Aster jerked her head at Angel.

"I'm doing it," he showed her his finger, that it was well away from the trigger before laying it on the floor. Within seconds, his men followed suit.

"Dante," I called out, keeping my gun trained on Angel in case he tried to make another move.

Dante and the rest of my men moved quickly. While Dante collected the guns on the floor, my other men checked them for more weapons, then herded them into the corner.

Angel stood there, waiting, glowering at Aster. Her fingers, tight on the knife, were steady, and I was so goddamn proud of her, but all I could think of, see, feel, was Angel’s hand on her.

His fingers, feeling the touch of her dress, her breath on his skin, them sharing the same fucking air.

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