Page 81 of Tyrant

“Three… days…”

He nods. “You were attacked. You remember that part. You lost a lot of blood from your head. You have staples in your head right now. There was a moment or two where it looked pretty bad.”

I can see Tyrant’s body tightening, thickening, flexing with angry muscle.

My head turns back to the doctor. “I don’t remember any of it.”

“Of course not. You wereasleep, let’s call it. Right now we’re going to monitor you, okay? You might start to think of us as a great pain in your backside. It’s important we keep a close eye on you.”

My chin starts to quiver. For the next couple minutes I feel like a science project. My vitals are checked. I’m asked fifty million more questions. Everyone works around Tyrant. They allknow he will attack if provoked and if told to move away from me.

I’m trying to think about the night of the meeting. Tyrant and I in the bathroom. Him fucking me. Really hard too. So hard that after he left the bathroom, I dropped down to my knees because I was tired and sore.

I remember covering my mouth and blinking away tears. I was smiling though. The feeling was so intense. Then I climbed back to my feet. Pulling myself up. That’s when I saw…

“… something in the mirror,”I say and I look at Tyrant.

“What?”

“Someone was in the bathroom behind me,” I say. “I turned around and they were dressed in all black.”

“A mask?” Tyrant asks.

“No. I don’t think so. But I couldn’t see their face. And they… they…”

I start to lose my breath. The machines start to go crazy once again.

“Okay, we have to be careful here,” the doctor says. “I know it’s important to find out who did this, but if Serafina doesn’t calm down and let her body rest, she’s going to slip.”

“When I want to hear you fucking speak, I’ll order you to speak,” Tyrant says to the doctor. “Until then, you fix her and keep your fucking mouth shut.”

All the nurses gasp. The doctor swallows hard. He then excuses himself from the room. The nurses follow shortly after.

“Tyrant,” I whisper.

He touches my face. “I can’t lose you,claimed one. This has gone too far. Too fucking far. It’s beyond threats now.”

“I don’t know who did this,” I whisper.

“I’ll find out. And I’ll fucking kill them.”

“I know you will,” I say, which surprises me.

I’m openly acknowledging just how violent Tyrant can be. And yet I want him to be. I’m embracing this.

What is wrong with me?

My eyes fill with tears. Tyrant leans down and pulls me against his chest. My face against the muscle under his shirt. I take a deep breath.

I feel safe in his arms but I’m not safe. Not safe at all. Someone really wants to hurt me. Someone wants me dead. I know Tyrant will do anything to keep me safe, and alive.

But how many people are about to get hurt or killed because of me?

Chapter Thirty-One

TYRANT

I haven’t sleptin days and I haven’t stepped away from Serafina’s side. Now that I know she’s awake and talking and the vibe is that she will make a full recovery, it’s time for me to shift gears completely. From protector to killer. That’s an easy swap for me. Almost too easy.

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