Page 3 of A Heart So Savage

“I don’t want his attention.”

“He can’t seem to help himself.” Oliver grinned. “I think you marking him, scarring him just that little bit, brought out a previously unknown side of my brother. He’s suddenly very possessive. I’ve never seen him act this way before. He’s become even more of a psychotic asshole than I ever thought possible.”

Psychotic? Ha! Oliver had no room to judge on that score.

Oliver stalked closer, but Ava refused to cower. She stood her ground while he circled her.

“I saw the video feed of Malcolm attacking you.” His breath skated over her shoulder. Aware of the camera system inside this house of secrets and betrayals, his words were low enough that they would not be picked up on audio. “Gotta admit, it pisses me off that dumb motherfucker got a taste of you.”

“He was as repulsive as you are.”

Oliver trailed a finger down her arm. “Yeah, well, he died for it, but at least he went out happy with your flavor in his mouth. I’m fucking jealous as hell about that. But who knows? Maybe I’ll get my own chance with you one day.”

Ava’s chin lifted higher with shaky bravado. “Try it. Kingston might slice you up, too.”

Oliver’s laughter was genuinely amused. His blue eyes gleamed. “Your dear brother underestimated your worth, Ava. He gave you up too quickly. Carson could have paid the debt and recovered his losses plus more if he’d just sold you to begin with. His stupidity is Kingston’s gain. And I know King will come up with all sorts of creative ways you can pay off two million. That’s a hell of a lot of blowjobs. Maybe he’ll show me the tapes when he’s done with you. I deserve a little bonus—since I can’t get my hands on the real thing.”

“Is your offer to help me escape no longer an option?” Ava asked with a sarcastic lilt to her voice. Any assistance from this man could not be trusted. She knew that now. The plans she once entertained of playing Kingston and Oliver against one another must be abandoned. She wouldneverask him for anything. He was a sadistic, evil snake who would bite the hand of anyone who ventured too close.

The man was possibly more damaged than Kingston himself. Kingston wanted to possess her. To own her innocence. Drag her down into wickedness and pleasure. But Oliver—his desires ran to deeper waters. He would hurt her simply because she was a woman who now belonged to his brother.

Oliver’s covetous gaze turned heated as it raked her form. “Oh, I’ll still help you, Miss Blue. If you pay the price for my assistance. My tastes are a bit more primitive than King’s, but you look like a quick learner. I’d love to teach you everything I like. Everything I need from a woman. There won’t be much of you left afterward, but at least you would be free of my brother.”

Ava’s eyes flashed green fire. “You are disgusting. Stay away from me, or I’ll kill you myself.”

Oliver chuckled. “Become quite the spitfire, haven’t you? It’s all King’s doing, damn him. I liked it better when you were cowering at a man’s feet. He’s ruining you. Turning you into something fierce and wild. I bet my dear brother has no idea what you’re capable of.”

“How precisely am I ruining her?” Kingston asked, his countenance grim as he entered the game room. In one hand he carried a dark blue folder, much like the one containing the ledger sheets documenting Carson’s debts.

Oliver stepped away from Ava, taking a nonchalant sip of his bourbon. “Seems your pretty prisoner is finding her backbone. But we both know how flashes of rebellion end for women involved with the Winter men. They just don’t have a great track record of surviving us, do they?”

In customary fashion, Kingston ignored Oliver’s taunts. He stalked toward the pair of them, head tilted quizzically upon seeing the pool stick Ava gripped so tightly. A twinkle of understanding lit his eyes upon realizing she held it like a weapon. The smirk on his face only deepened at seeing her unspoken relief at his return.

Tskingsoftly, he easily disarmed her, plucking the pool stick from her cold hands and flinging it onto the table where it clattered noisily against the dark grey worsted wool. The blue folder was casually tossed down beside it.

“Did you miss me, lamb?” Kingston murmured. He circled her in a predatory manner, brushing Oliver aside in an overtly masculine show of ownership.

Ava’s gaze zeroed in on the folder.

What does it contain?

Kingston pressed closer, filling her senses. Demanding her attention until Ava’s eyes raised to meet his dark blue ones. He lifted a lock of her hair, rubbing the strands between his thumb and forefinger. “Well? Did you?”

It was a mocking question. He knew Ava would not, and could not, give the answer he expected. Such an admission was an indicator of affection. And she certainly did not harbor that emotion.

“No.” She would not show fear, but she also could not conceal the relief that he stood beside her. A necessary barrier between herself and Oliver.

“Liar. I suppose I’ll add that to the growing list of your transgressions.” Kingston cupped Ava’s elbow, carefully avoiding the bruising Malcolm left behind. His fingers caressed her skin through the fluttering, long sleeves of the green silk blouse. When he touched her so gently, so possessively, it was as though fire licked along her limbs.

Ava’s gaze flickered to Oliver. He had returned to stand beside the bar, a little smirk stretching his cruel mouth as he watched them. Those light blue eyes of his glittered like ice.

Kingston spun Ava so she faced away from him. Her hands automatically gripped the edge of the pool table, but even as Kingston’s body pressed harder against her own, she did not bend. Standing straight, she resisted the subtle insistence that she submit to his wishes.

“Shall I punish you now? With my brother as witness?” Kingston murmured in her ear.

“You won’t,” Ava gasped out, fear mingling with red-hot desire. It was horrible. This dizzying, irrational need for this man’s touch. His mouth. His cock. She could not understand why the degradation he subjected her to always turned her into a trembling mess.

Kingston’s hands skated down to her hips. He gripped her harder, fingers digging in through her blue jeans. “It would prove my ownership. Show everyone you are truly mine now that Carson has abandoned you. And Oliver, well, he likes to watch these things.” Kingston nuzzled her ear. Skimming his lips along the side of Ava’s neck, he directed his words to the other man. “Don’t you, brother?”

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