Page 89 of Bind Me

“Fuck!” Kaden growls and catches the man’s arm, twisting it sharply until I hear the sickening crack of bone. The man cries out, dropping to his knees.

The second man rolls to his feet, brandishing the knife with renewed determination. He slashes at Kaden, but Kaden sidesteps, grabbing the man’s arm and slamming his knee into his midsection. The air rushes from his lungs in a wheeze as he collapses, clutching his stomach. Kaden doesn’t let up, grabbing the man by the throat and lifting him off the ground.

“Who the fuck are you?” Kaden demands, throttling the man like a rag doll before tossing him into a stone pillar. Seeing he’s still moaning, Kaden goes after him and lifts him to his feet by his fisted shirt.

“Didn’t you get the message, asshole? King Kaspian’s called all hits off me. I’m a damn citizen of the House of Gold and Garnet now. And you’re getting your asses kicked for being stupid.”

“We were hired, man,” the man gasps, his words choked as he claws at Kaden’s grip, gasping for breath, looking pale as a sheet.

Kaden’s grip tightens, and the man’s thrashing for release. “Who sent you?” Kaden barks, his voice as hard as steel.

The man coughs, a strangled noise, and Kaden drops him, letting him collapse to the ground. “I don’t know,” the man croaks, clutching his throat.

Kaden looms over him, snatching him by his dark hair. “You’re going to regret that,” he promises just as the guy’s eyes roll up into his head, and he passes out, just like his buddy.

“What the hell’s going on?” I ask, unsure why anyone would be coming for us.

Kaden’s gaze turns to me, concern flashing across his features. “Are you hurt?” he asks, his voice softer now.

I shake my head, though my heart is still racing, and my grip on the backpack straps is white-knuckled. “I think,” I reply.

From behind a parked car to my right, movement catches my attention. I swing around to a third hooded man darting toward me with alarming speed.

“Watch out!” Kaden is already bolting forward, but the man reaches me first. I twist around, shoving my fist into his face and kicking his knee. But the bastard already has his hand on my backpack, yanking it off my shoulder with such force that I stumble sideways.

Then he’s gone like lightning.

“Chowder!” I scream, darting after him. The bag’s clutched in his arms. Panic surges through me as I dash after him, Kaden hot on my heels.

Kaden sprints past me and reaches the man in a flash, tackling him to the ground. They roll across the stone floor, the bag tumbling free and skidding to a stop a few feet away. I scramble to it, my heart pounding in my chest as I rip it open.

“Chowder!” I call, relief flooding me as I find him inside, frightened but unharmed. “It’s going to be fine,” I murmur, trying to soothe him.

Chowder doesn’t respond, just curls up tighter, and my heart breaks at his fear.

“No one’s going to hurt you. I promise.” My throat croaks.

Turning back, I find Kaden pinning the man to a stone pillar near a parked car, growling in his face. “What the fuck do you want? Are you after me? Why did you steal her bag?”

The man spits blood at Kaden. “Fuck, I don’t want you, you idiot.” He glances over at me, and a shiver runs down my spine at his stare.

Kaden’s gaze flicks to me, then back to him. “Who sent you?”

“Fuck you,” the man snarls, his response dripping with venom.

Kaden grips his wrist harder, then bends it backward instantly, the snap loud, and the man howls in agony. “Every time you don’t answer my question, I’ll break another bone. Now, who sent you?”

The man’s cheeks blanch, and he mumbles, “Fuck… It’s the otter she wants and for the girl to leave town.”

Kaden cracks the man’s fingers back, and the man screams. “You didn’t answer my question. Who the fuck sent you?”

Shaking, I hold the bag with Chowder tighter. My mind races, starting to suspect the worst. They’re here for Chowder. My mind flashes back to the asshole, Zane, who traffics and experiments on animals. And who I didn’t catch on my last mission… the one who got me relocated to Norway. Did he track me down?

“I asked a damn question,” Kaden roars in the man’s face.

“Lilia,” he cries out, literally sobbing as Kaden holds him by the throat. “Lilia sent us to get the otter and to scare her out of town.”

“What the fuck?” I mumble, my mind spinning with confusion. Who’s Lilia, and why does she want me out of town? Is she working for Zane?

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