Page 39 of The Way You Hurt Me

Cam.

It must have been Cam who arranged it, right?

But then again, why wouldn't he have told me? He's open enough about Morgan's security.

And Paul did speak Russian.

I'm still gaping wordlessly at the two bodyguards, not even sure what to ask, when Paul steps away from the doors and bows.

I only have time to stiffen when Dimitri strides in with the confidence of someone who owns every ounce of space he occupies.

"Out." One word, that feels like ice and daggers, full of threat. Promise.

Andrei moves with a speed I wouldn't have thought possible for someone of his stature, and shuts the door behind him.

Some bodyguard.

But I suppose his job description includes protecting me from vile rapists, not from being shouted at by his boss.

I brace myself.

One look in those cold green eyes and I know Dimitri is aware of what I was doing here. And he's angry. Very, very angry.

Honestly, I didn't even think he ever got pissed. He's too collected. A master of zen, always either amused or indifferent. I thought that was one of the things that attracted me to him, his complete and utter self-control.

That was before seeing pure, undiluted rage flow through him.

Now I know I wasn't into the control, but what was hidden underneath.

This man…he's capable of hurting anyone, anything that threatens what he considers his.

The look in his eyes tell me that he's sorry Tom and Sam are dead, their bodies cooling on the floor, blood soaking the mattress.

He's sorry he didn't snuff the life out of them himself.

"I let you have your fun, petal. I left you in control."

I don't recognize this voice. I don't recognize this man.

"That ends now."

19

DIMITRI

I'm not in control. Not even a little. I should walk. Turn away. She's safe. She's good. As good as she can possibly be with two dead bodies in the room. I can see it in her eyes: she's not as easily scared as most women would be in her shoes. There's no hysteria, no terrified shrieks.

I can leave it at that. Honestly, I should have just let her bodyguards handle the rest. I shouldn't be here right now. Not when she's almost just been raped before my eyes—as well as those of hundreds of followers.

But the thing is, she's the one who put herself in this situation, and I want her to understand how unacceptable it is.

I've let this play out, but I knew, I just knew that Ruby Red would put her in danger eventually, given the way she runs it. If she wanted to be seen, she should have come to one of the many clubs where she could have done so safely. She should have come to me. Instead, she hired losers off the street without so much as a background check.

"Well, you wanted my attention, didn't you?" I hear myself say, my voice too low. Too quiet."You have it."

I watch her swallow, casually pushing the body off the bed, where it falls with a hollow sound, leaving a red trail on the sheet.

"What was your first message again?" I pretend to think. "Wish you were here, was it? Here I am."

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