Page 64 of Brutal Savage

I release an exaggerated sigh. “It wasn’t like that. My father arranged it for business purposes. I never loved him. In fact, I hated him.”

“And he hit you?”

I nod. “He did a lot of things. So if there’s any part of you that meant it when you said we’re friends, let this go.”

“You don’t know me very well, Ms. Hill.” His knuckles gently stroke my cheek, his eyes filling with the raw power of his emotions. “I do not let things like this go. If someone hurts a person I care about, I take care of it.”

Care about…

He cares about me?

My stomach coils into knots, and my heart throbs to have that—to have a man care for me and mean it.

Those knuckles stroke my lips, and they tremble in the wake of his touch.

“If you don’t want to give me his name, I will find it on my own, and I will kill him. And that’s a promise.”

Part of me wants that. I want to see that bastard and his father dead. But another part just wishes for it all to be over. Though can it ever be if they’re still alive and looking for me?

“You don’t know how to let things be, do you?”

“Not when it matters.”

“And I matter?” I whisper, shuddering with anticipation, hoping to hear that I do. That I mean something.

His expression goes slack, a hint of a smirk appearing at the corner of his mouth. “I’ll see you inside, Ms. Hill.”

He lets me go, while all I want is for him to touch me again, craving for that warmth to return.

Yet most of all, I crave to hear him say that I matter.

But instead, he walks away.

I remain there long after, wondering how I went from wanting to keep my distance to wanting Tynan Quinn to admit he actually cares.

CHAPTER 15

TYNAN

It took a lot for her to be honest yesterday. The way her pain seeped from her eyes, it haunts me. I hated knowing she was hurt by someone who thought he could treat her that way.

Staring at the computer in the underground tech office of our academy, I look up Evelyn Connors and find a photo of her staring back at me.

Her social media profile is inactive and from a few years ago, but it’s her. There’s nothing on the fiancé, though it’s only a matter of time before I find him and who he works for. They’re not in our circle, but there are many factions of gangs out there. He could be in any one of them.

I’ll have to do more digging after Brody goes to bed. Elara should be here any minute. Shutting off the screen, I head up and out the door.

My home is a ten-minute walk from the academy, and I make it back in less, smelling the dinner Ruby has already started to prep.

As I start for the door, Rogue pulls up.

She’s here.

Our eyes meet, and her mouth trembles into a small smile.

Before Rogue has a chance to touch her, I’m there, opening her door.

“Let me.” I take her hand in mine.

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