Page 54 of Dangerous Contract: Part 1

“Mind your business, Cas.”

One night with her had made him happy. It was the morning hours that had him in a fucked-up mood.

“I guess she wasn’t worth the money, huh?” Cas asked.

Raz spun around to face his brother. “Stop.”

“What?” Cas asked, looking confused.

“Stop,” Raz forced through clenched teeth. “And go away before we have a problem.”

Warning given, Raz turned and continued down the hall.

Continuing to follow him, Cas shouted, “Wait! Are you and I seriously going to have a problem because of some bitc...”

Raz whirled around, eyes blazing, anger flaring. “If you finish that sentence, we will indeed have a fucking problem.”

Cas glared at him. “Because of somebitch!”

Raz slammed his fist into his brother’s face. Blood spurted from Cas’s nose.

“You son of a bitch!” Cas yelled, touching the hem of his shirt to his nose.

Raz grinned cruelly. “You’re the son of the same bitch.”

With a roar, Cas rushed him. Raz didn’t try to stop him. His brother rammed his shoulder into Raz’s stomach, knocking the air from him. Cas’s arms went around Raz’s waist. Though Raz knew what was coming next, he didn’t fight back. Cas lifted him and slammed him to the ground, falling with him.

Raz stared up at his brother, who was now straddling him with his fist raised. Cas brought his fist down swiftly. Raz didn’t flinch or close his eyes. He waited for the blow, welcoming the pain that would follow it.

Maybe it would knock some sense into him and help him see where the fuck he’d gone wrong with Monique. Unfortunately, even this wasn’t working out for him. Cas’s fist stopped inches from his nose.

“You’re not going to block it?” Cas asked, blood from his nose dripping onto Raz’s shirt.

Raz remained silent. Cas cocked his head to the side.

“Fight back,” his brother yelled.

Raz didn’t.

“Or don’t.” Cas shrugged, then cocked back and slammed his fist into Raz’s nose.

Pain sliced through Raz’s face, and he tasted blood.

“Fuck!” Orazio muttered under his breath, hand going to his nose.

He pulled his hand back to stare at it. No blood.

“I didn’t hit you as hard as I could or as hard as you hit me,” Cas admitted, rising to his feet. “What’s the point since it seems like you want your ass kicked?”

Yes. He did. He wanted to feel pain because he’d madeherfeel pain. This was what he deserved. His penance.

“Get up,” Cas urged.

Raz wasn’t ready to get up. He just wanted to lie there. To think. Alone.

“Go away, Cas.”

His brother folded his arms over his chest. “This woman really has you losing your shit.”

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