Page 60 of The Way You Hurt Me

He hands me his mobile, and I bring it to my ear.

I had one meeting with the CEO of this corporation when Willow accepted the job. It was nice, polite. Friendly, even. It opened potential cooperation in the future.

Now I only say, "I asked you to clean your house. As you haven't, I'll take care of it for you."

As I lead Willow out, tucked under my arm, through the now-empty office, I send the recorded conversation to the board. If they know what's good for them, no one will ever hear of an incident on the seventeenth floor of their building; otherwise, their company will be trashed, sold, and then I'll take pleasure in buying the pieces and dismantling it until their stock is worth nothing. For a profit, of course.

As the endless elevator goes down, I say, "You're not going to work there anymore."

"Yeah. I don't exactly want to."

"Good." We're back at my town car, and heading back to my building in silence, Willow still right next to me. I draw her closer, needing to feel her, touch her, know she's all right, but my mind is a million miles away.

"Dimitri?"

"Yes, petal?"

"What did you mean, when you told Andrei to take Lloyd to the lab?"

There's more to that question. So much more, and we both know it.

"Are you ready for that answer? Because I will give it to you if you want it."

"Please."

I thought so. Otherwise, she would have deflected, asked a benign question around the situation as she usually does when she doesn't quite want to get to the point. "He's going to be brought to a place where some of my less-than-charming associates cook meth, petal. In New Jersey. I told Andrei to take him there, because it is equipped with adequate disposal facilities, once we're done with the body."

"Oh." She straightens up. "I mean, I figured it'd be something like that, but you know."

"I do know."

"So, you're going to…?"

"Torture him, cut off his cock, make it eat him, then kill him?" I ask. "Something of the sort."

"I see." She's not running. She's not flinching. She's not even afraid. "Can I watch?"

Since I first got her call about thirty minutes ago, my mind has been in pieces; some of it in the present, some in the very near future when I'll get to exact my revenge on the man who dared corner and threaten my fucking woman.

Now I'm all here, put back together, with those three simple, and yet oh so complicated words.

I get it, finally.

I get the draw, the appeal, the irresistible pull I never could deny.

She's made for me, perfect for me, sweet and soft and the comfort I need in the darkness, but also strong.

Cruel.

Fully capable of understanding, and taking the darkness that runs in my blood. She might not be the kind of girl I could take to a training session like Markus does with Dez, but she'll be right here, next to me.

For better and for worse.

I tilt her chin up, and bring my mouth to hers.

29

WILLOW

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