Page 21 of Forbidden Cravings

“What the fuck—” his friend started until I glared at him. He seemed like a rational guy until he moved to attack me. Finch blocked his attempt with a strike to the eye and raised his gun to his head. Shep had already immobilized the one I’d punched first, his knife against the guy’s throat. Shep preferred playing with knives and he was my go-to guy when I needed to extract information from someone. I planned to let him have some fun with these three after I finished making them suffer.

I turned my attention back to the one on the ground.

“I thought I told you to apologize to her,” I growled, removing my gun from his temple and shooting him in the kneecap.

His scream mingled with Casey’s.

“Mason, stop, please,” she begged, but my need to make the fuckers pay was fueling me. My control had slipped, which rarely happened, but once it did, it was difficult to rein back in.

“Nobody talks to you that way and nobody touches you,” I roared, before I cocked my gun and pointed it at his head. “Apologize, or I put more holes in you.”

“I’m sorry,” he whimpered.

“Dude, he apologized, let him go. We didn’t mean any harm.”

I rolled my neck, bringing my sight to the one in Finch’s grasp. He tried backing up, but Finch’s grip on him was tight.

“Dude?” My laugh was feral, and I had the urge to just shoot all three of them in the head and be done with it. But they deserved a slow death for what they’d been planning to do to Casey. “Do you know who I am?” I snarled.

He shook his head, the one in Shep’s hands doing the same. The third man was still writhing on the ground.

Two of my club security came through the door. They were large, with muscles that kept people in line. The music seeped through until the door closed, confirming that things had returned to normal. This club was private, and those who frequented were locals. The locals knew who I was, and they knew to stay quiet and to fear me. But these three weren’t local.

“Tell them who I am, Case,” I said, without looking away. She said nothing. “Tell them!”

“Dammit, Mason, let them go. It was harmless.”

I glanced at her, knowing my eyes were lethal. Hers were bloodshot, the liquor slurring her words and impairing herability to stand well. I turned back to them, growling, “Where are you three from?”

“Dankirk,” one said, his voice quaking as I pointed the gun at him. His buddy was on the ground still, writhing in pain. All three were bloody, but not bloody enough for what they’d been doing.

I laughed. “Krill’s town.” I saw the recognition of the name. The Krill family had a powerful hold on Dankirk, and they were indebted to me for keeping it that way. I pulled my phone out, hitting Krill’s number.

Krill answered on the second ring. Even at this time of night, he knew not to ignore my call. “This better be important.”

“Some of your trash wandered into my city and touched my girl. Should I dispose of them here or let my boys escort them home?”

“You have a girl now, Brinks? ‘Bout time. Send the fuckers to me. I’ll ensure they’re taught some respect. Have your boys leave them at the junction. We’ll take it from there.”

“I thought you would.”

I disconnected and rammed the butt of my gun into the one who had escaped my fury, knocking his front teeth out. With the black eye Finch had given him, it made a colorful addition. Casey screamed, but I grabbed her, throwing her over my shoulder as she kicked and grumbled at me. My men had heard my slip up, calling Casey my girl, but I was hoping they’d figure I’d said it because she was Tyson’s sister and not question it.

“Give them a proper escort back to Dankirk. Krill’s men will meet you at the border to take care of the trash. Shep, be sure to give them a taste of what’s in store on the way.”

There wouldn’t be much life left in the three by the time they reached the drop-off point, but I was certain whatever life remained, Krill would ensure it was excruciatingly painful.

I didn’t bother to look back, hearing the scuffle and knowing no one else in the club would raise a finger to help the scum. This was a private club, and I’d find out who let the assholes in.

Breck left with me, his hand on his gun the entire time. Casey continued to punch at my back and kick for me to let her down, but I kept her there, my hand firmly planted on her ass to keep her skirt from rising any further. I threw her into the backseat, locking her in before I climbed into the front with Breck.

I peered back at her when she grew silent. She was fuming, even as drunk as she was. Crossed arms, beautifully pouting lips, and flared nostrils accompanied the hazel eyed glare she was giving me. She remained that way the entire ride back. Breck stayed quiet, knowing my mood. The situation had me wired, the anger still spilling through my veins. By the time we pulled up to the house, I was like a live wire.

Casey threw her door open and stomped into the house. I followed, catching up to her in a few strides and slamming the door behind me. She’d made it through the foyer and into the main living space by the time I took her arm and stopped her.

We stared at each other, the heat intense.

“You’re an asshole, Mason,” she slurred. “You can’t go around punishing people like that. They didn’t do anything.”

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