Page 44 of Twisted Thorns

"That's a strange birthday present, Iris."

Iris just shrugs and pulls me around in a circle with her. "You know what else I want for my birthday?"

"What?"

"To dance!" she yells as pulls me back onto the dance floor.

Kieran

I was watching from the shadows when I saw Trent creep up to Avalina at the club, his intent written plainly on his face. Stalking forward from the corner I was leaning against, rage bubbling in my veins, I couldn't help the pride that sparked in my heart at watching Lina unleash her claws on the creep.

Despite knowing she could handle herself, I still felt a swell of satisfaction as my fist met flesh, the sickening crunch of bone informing me I finally broke Trent's nose.

My little chat with Trent was happening back at one of my warehouses, where I dragged his sorry ass after I knocked him out cold in the club's back lot.

Breathing in, I look down at Trent, satisfaction filling every pore of my being at the state of the loser.

The poor bastard's face was smeared with blood, which was diluted by the tears that started as soon as Trent realized, through his drunken haze, who I was and what he had done. He didn't even need me to say it. He knew.

He touched what was mine.

A growl ripped free of my throat at the thought, and I snarled as I picked up Trent's shaking body so he could face me. Even if he probably couldn't truly see me, the flesh around his eyes too swollen and discolored for that.

"What am I going to do with you, Trent?" I rumbled, shaking him. "I should fucking kill you."

"Please, no, I'll do anything."

"You touched what's mine, Trent."

"I didn't know! I'm sorry, man. Please, don't hurt me anymore."

I laughed, the sound bouncing off the warehouse walls. Tossing Trent to the ground like the garbage he is, I ignore his moaning. Nothing he could say would change what's about to happen.

I've been fantasizing about this moment ever since he touched Avalina in the club.

Walking over to a workbench with an assortment of hammers, nails, and rope, I pick up the blowtorch and slowly prowl over to the cowering ball of a man on the hard concrete floor.

"Don't you know? We're just getting started."

I delight in the screams that rent the air before Trent passes out. His flesh now burned where his fingers touched Avalina. He was lucky I didn't cut them off.

At least this way, he'll always have the reminder to not touch things he doesn't have permission to.

Chapter 22

Avalina

I wake in the middle of the night to a figure looming above me, my sleep haze burning away as terror tries to outrun the scream lodged in my throat.

“Shh, Lina, it’s just me.” Kieran’s husky timber chases away the shadows, and as he moves I can make out his piercing gaze shining in the dark.

“What are you doing here?” I rasp, my throat still working past the terror caught in its maw.

“I wanted to make sure you got home alright.”

“But how did you get in here?”

Kieran blinks. “I have a key to your apartment.”

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