Page 69 of Heart of a Villain

“You fucking pussies,” Rafael spat. “Did you think I wouldn’t get out? That I wouldn’t bite through my own fucking hand if I had to?”

“Go,” Adrían said.

Rafael snorted. “Fuck you.”

“I’m not talking to you, bitch.” Adrían faced her. “Go, querida.”

She flicked her wrist at the doorway. “But he’s…he’s b-blocking…fuck!”

Now, she was stammering.

She’d trained with Mo for this very thing.

“Neither of you is getting out of here,” Rafael hissed. “And that bitch, I don’t give a fuck what my brother wants. I’m going to kill you, Acoisa, and then I’m going to split you right down the middle of your pussy.”

Adrían’s head tipped to the side. “Querida, what did he call you? Acoisa? Not Acoisa as in ‘a coisa.’ As in ‘the thing’?”

“What else would she be? Look at her. She’s my brother’s slave. My brother’s thing. Did you tell your little boyfriend her that Lorenzo?—”

She tossed the first object she could find—the wooden alarm clock that, if it worked again, would be a miracle.

Rafael caught it and tossed it back, but Adrían smacked it out of the way.

“Go,” Adrían repeated. “Go where I took you today. This fake ass enforcer can’t touch you. How do you like living in my shadow, Rafael Henriques? I haven’t been in Chamas in years, and yet, none of you will ever compare.”

Rafael narrowed his brows. “And who the fuck are you?”

“A legend.”

“Cocksucker.”

“Be original,” Adrían’s eyes flicked, “‘puta.’”

Rafael, sneering, charged at Adrían.

She used the opportunity to hop from the bed and race downstairs. All the lights were off, and from what she could tell, neither Wren nor Thanasis was in the house. She didn’t want to leave Adrían alone, but she wasn’t foolish enough to think he couldn’t handle himself. The way he’d reacted, it was as if he’d known Rafael would have eventually escaped. Him taking her into the woods hadn’t been only for an evening stroll together.

It was strategic.

She headed for the back door. Next to it leaned a shovel. Smiling, she picked it up and ran out into the night.

CHAPTER

EIGHTEEN

Although she was running, it seemed to take longer to reach the tree than when they’d walked.

Plus, the air felt thinner.

The thought that she should have stayed returned. Adrían was more than capable, but in her mind, he was hers. If he was hers, it was their duty to protect one another. For weeks now, she’d been training with Mo, but what was the point of any of it if she didn’t put it to good use?

She pivoted.

A hard body slammed into hers.

The shovel fell, and the next thing she knew, she was blocking Rafael’s fists with crossed arms. But she wasn’t concerned about his fists. If Rafael was there, she needed to know where Adrían was and if he was okay.

“Bitch!”

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