Page 131 of Blades of Obsession

Harvey moves with surprising speed, pulling a gun from his jacket and pointing it directly at me. “I said where is her mother?! The bitch hit me with a piece of wood and took off.”

The guard who let him through with a weapon can consider today his last day on earth. By the time I’m finished with him, he’ll be on his knees, begging me to end his life for allowing Harvey to bring a gun into a party where Amelia is present, putting her life in fucking danger.

Then no guard after him will think to make the same mistake.

I look over at Amelia. Her eyes are widened in fear, but I just can’t help but laugh at the sight of Harvey awkwardly holding the gun. Like he’s never held one in his life. “Harvey, I know you’re stupid, but you’re notthatstupid.”

“Stupid would be calling someone stupid who has a gun pointed at you,” he retorts.

“Well, you are stupid. You and I both know that if you shoot me right now, you won’t make it out the front door. There are over twenty-five guards on standby for this event. And I know you’re not ready to lose your life because if you were, you would’ve shot me by now instead of making a big scene of pretending you’re going to shoot me.”

Harvey’s hand trembles as he grips the gun, his biggest weakness. If it weren’t me standing here, and if I didn’t already know he would never pull the trigger, his target would have clocked him as a coward the moment they caught sight of his nervous movements. Which is exactly why he’s a low-level secretary and nothing more.

I eat up the distance between us, pressing my chest directly against the gun’s barrel. “Shoot me. Go ahead. That’s what you came here for, right?”

“Aiden—”

“I got this, angel. Don’t worry.” I turn my attention back to Harvey. “You have two choices before I bring out my own gun, and Iwillmake it out the front door if I use it. Either put your gun down or shoot me. I’m gonna be nice and give you five seconds.”

For a moment, the room falls silent, the tension so thick it’s almost suffocating. Then, with a snarl on his face, Harvey lowers the gun. Now that there’s nothing between us to protect him, his bravado crumbles as fast as his dignity.

I don’t wait. As soon as the gun is lowered and out of shooting range, I drive my knee up into his balls with all the force I can muster. He doubles over, a strangled cry escaping from his lips as he falls to his knees, clutching his junk. That’s what the fuck he gets. The sight makes me smile from the inside out.

“Son of a bitch!” he gasps.

I grab his collar and point to Amelia. “You’re going to apologize to her. Right now.”

“Like hell, I am—”

I send another kick, this time to his stomach. “Now!”

He grunts, his gaze shifting to Amelia, who stands a few feet away with her hands clasped over her mouth. “I’m sorry.”

“Apologize for calling her pathetic.”

“I’m sorry for calling you pathetic,” he grinds out through gritted teeth.

“Apologize for calling her weak.”

“I’m sorry for calling you weak.”

“Apologize for taking a gun out in her presence and therefore putting her in danger.”

“I’m sorry for putting you in danger.” He collapses to the floor, gasping for breath after I release him. “You’re going to let him treat your father like this?!” His voice is strained as he coughs, holding his stomach.

“Yes, I am. Because he’s treated me better than you ever have for my entire twenty years of life. He always makes sure I’m okay, mentally and physically. He always puts my wants and needs first, can you believe it? Because you havealwaysput your own fucking needs before mine!”

I’m taken aback. I don’t think I’ve ever really heard Amelia properly cuss before. The only time is when I’m in the middle of pounding her tight cunt and she can’t help but let out a small “fuck”, but I don’t even think she realizes she’s saying it at that point. When I’m buried deep inside—dammit, I have to focus.

“He’s there for me, even when he doesn’t have time to be. Something you never were! You were always busy, and now I know it’s because you were doing secretary work. But he has a way more important job than you and still makes time for me.”

“Okay, I don’t have time to sit here and hear about how he’s Jesus Christ reincarnated apparently.” Harvey’s face twists with bitterness.

Amelia speed-walks to him and delivers a powerful kick to his gut, right in the same spot I did. The force she uses tells me she let all the years of pain and frustration out in that kick. Her pointed high heel digs into his flesh, causing him to howl in agony and fall to the ground.

He starts to get up, seemingly to retaliate against her so I step in his path.

“I think you know better than that.” I bend to his level. “Get out,” I order, mumbling low so Amelia can’t hear the next words. “I got that video you accidentally sent when you emailed me Julie’s contract, and you’re going to pay for it. Don’t ever come near her again.”

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