Page 74 of Cage of Thorns and Blood

“What did you call my fiancée?”

“Your fucking what? Have you lost your mind?” He’s shouting so loudly two of the men come running.

“What. Did. You. Call. Her?”

I’m aware of a presence behind me. It’s her; I know it is. I don’t need to turn to look. I’m so attuned to her that I can sense when she’s near.

“That Andretti bitch,” he says as he looks past me to where I know Renata is standing.

The punch I aim at him lands on his smug fucking chin.

He stumbles back and then roars, charging at me.

I wrap my arms around him as he takes me down to the ground.

We trade kicks and punches, and I trying to flip us so I can bash his fucking head on the floor when freezing cold hits me, taking my breath away.

“What the fuck?” Clifford jumps up, shaking his shirt out.

Renata smiles at him sweetly. “When dogs are humping, you can get them to stop by throwing ice water over them. It seems you can do the same to men when they’re fighting.”

She sets the ice bucket down, then walks over to me and offers me her hand and then pulls me up.

“I’m going to take a long soak in a hot bath,” she says. “Oh, and, Clifford?”

“Yes,” he says sullenly.

“I’m not a bitch. I’m a grade A cunt, and if you call me a bitch again, I just might put something in your drink one day. Then, when you’re fast asleep, I’ll shave your eyebrows. Trust me, you don’t have the bone structure to carry that look off.”

She smiles at all my men. “Gentlemen. Thank you all for being here and keeping us safe.”

Then she sweeps up the stairs as regal as a queen. “Put the fucking jewels on,” I order her. “After the bath. All of them. Then wait for me in the bed.”

“Jesus fucking Christ on a cracker, you’ve lost your mind.” Clifford shakes his head.

“Never had it to lose.” I smirk at him.

In the end, I call Nico without asking Renata to give me an intro. I use the burner and call on what she said is his business number.

He answers on the third ring. “Just seen the gossip sites. What the fuck are you doing with my sister? Have you kidnapped her?”

He’s eerily calm. “Do you care?” I ask.

“I mean, I suppose I should. This is the part where I threaten to cut your dick off and the rest.”

“Yet you’re not.”

“No.”

“So, can we talk?”

“Maybe.”

“There’s a threat,” I say. “To both of us. They are coming for Renata.”

“Fuck. Who?” He’s instantly all business. So he doesn’t hate her. Not totally.

“Greeks. Long story. Listen, your family sent Renata in here to spy on me.”

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