Page 193 of Volatile Obsessions

What the fuck had she done to him?

“Are you okay?” I asked him, taking his face between my palms.

I wanted to kiss him all over, shower him with love until that fire in his gaze rekindled brightly, until the blue of his irises returned to full vibrancy.

Until he was Roman-fucking-King—not this shell of a man.

All he offered me was a shake of his head, though. No words. I didn’t know whether he truly couldn’t speak, scarred from whatever atrocities he’d obviously endured, or if she’d instructed him to do so.

“Wrap it up,” Liza barked. “And if you put your mouth on him, so help me—”

“What?” I turned my head toward her, suddenly enraged. “What are you gonna do about it?”

Rome squeezed me once more, a gesture of silent warning, but there was no way in hell I was heeding it. This woman had clearly hurt him in some way, shape, or form, and now, I was going to fucking hurt her.

Wriggling free from his hold, I landed on my feet and inched closer to her, cocking my head to one side in a coaxing fashion. “Go on, Liza. Tell me what you’re gonna do about it.”

“You don’t want to test me, Lux.” She chuckled darkly, standing her ground. “You really don’t.”

“I’m not afraid of you,” I bit out. “I’m disgusted, if anything. What the hell did you do to him?”

“Why do you ask so many questions?” she queried in frustration.

“Why don’t you answer any of them?”

“Because it’s none of your business what I’ve done to him. He’s mine—I can do whatever I please with him.”

I laughed. I laughed cynically, right in her face and burst into her bubble, my gaze piercing hers just inches away. “I hate to break it to you, sweetie—but he’s mine.”

The switch flipped.

I watched it happen.

From amused to manic, her lip curled, posture tensing. Crazy Liza had come out to play. “You’re gonna regret saying th—”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The three of us fell stock-still as shots continued to go off above us, one after the other. My first thought was Suki, jolting my stomach up to my throat, especially when everything ceased and silence replaced the sudden chaos.

But then thundering steps echoed down the stairs, and there she was, in one full piece, blue eyes scanning the room.

And she wasn’t alone.

In her grasp was Vic, her newly acquired pistol aimed at the side of his head.

Well, shit.

I deflated like a damned balloon.

“Your men are dead,” she sneered at Liza, breaths ragged from exertion.

Then she shoved Vic to the floor.

He looked as empty and lifeless as Rome, green eyes pleading for help.

“I found him in a room upstairs,” Suki explained, turning her aim on Liza. “He told me everything. She’s been molesting them, treating them like fucking puppets, the sick bitch.”

I stopped breathing.

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