Page 50 of Untamed

“Know this is where you’d end up?”

“I—” A knock sounds at the door, so loud and sharp the door rattles.

“Ember. I know you’re in there. Open up!”

I wanted to kill Shawn before. Now, I want to make the death slow and painful for his shitty timing, since I still don’t even know what the fucker did to her.

“What perfect timing,” I mutter, sliding her off my lap. I tilt her chin with my finger. “We’re not done here. I’m gonna go get that door.”

“With your mask on?”

I blow out a breath.

The knock sounds again. I reach for the edge of my mask and tug it off in one swoop. I watch as her eyes go wide. She likes when I take it off.

Reaching her hand out to me, she traces my cheek with her index finger. I close my eyes and brace against a well of emotions I wasn’t ready for. “Don’t ever get rid of that mask.”

Fuccck.

I reach for her hand and kiss her palm. “I’m going to get that door.”

I do a mental check of the weapons I have on me but know if this guy is the douchebag I suspect he is, I won’t need anything more than my hands. I’m already a dead man walking with my brother, and I don’t need to push this envelope.

I stride to the door with deliberate slowness, cracking my neck as I reach for the handle. When I swing it open, there’s no mistaking the guy standing there. Shawn looks just as smug and self-satisfied as his texts suggested, tall but shorter than me, blond, clean-shaven, arrogant as fuck.

His confidence falters the second he sees me filling the doorway though. I watch as his brow furrows, and he glances past me, trying to look into the apartment. “Uh, who the hell are you?”

I lean casually against the doorframe, letting him see exactly how much bigger I am. “The better question is, do you typically bang down the door of someone when you’re uninvited?” I cross my arms and shake my head before I cluck my tongue. “Those are terrible manners.”

“Excuse me?” He laughs nervously, attempting to step closer. “I’m here to talk to Ember. This is her place, isn’t it?” Placing his hands on his hips, he tries to stand taller and fails. “What are you, her security or something?”

“Or something.”

I don’t move, keeping my stance loose but unmistakably commanding. Douchebags like him are easily intimidated. “Let me make this simple. She doesn’t want to see you. Turn around, and we can pretend that this never happened.”

Lies, but I know he won’t buy it.

“Hey.” Ember’s voice rings out behind me. I glance over my shoulder to find her standing there, arms crossed, a flush still high on her cheeks. She’s clearly trying to pull herself together, but there’s steel in her voice. “Shawn, leave. I don’t want to talk to you.”

Shawn’s face falls into a wounded mask, but I catch the glint of manipulation in his eyes. He edges closer, trying to peer around me. “Ember, come on. Don’t let this guy speak for you. We’ve got history. I just want to talk.”

“You heard her,” I growl, straightening to my full height. “She said to leave.”

I’m not sure decking this guy, whoever the fuck he is, is the best way to earn Ember’s favor, but he’s pushing the damn envelope.

Shawn’s mask cracks, and his voice turns sharp. “Who the hell do you think you are? This is between me and her?—”

I step forward, forcing him to stumble back into the hallway. My voice drops into a dangerous calm. “I’m the man who will happily remind you what ‘no’ means. Try me.”

Don’t kill him. Do. Not. Kill. Him.I conjure up the faces of my brothers, ready to murdermeif I misstep here.

For a moment, Shawn’s bravado wars with his self-preservation. His jaw tightens, but the size difference—and my unflinching stare—seals the deal. He throws his hands up in mock surrender, stepping back with a scowl.

“Fine. I’m going,” he mutters, shooting a pointed look at Ember over my shoulder. “But we’re not done, Ember.”

“Yes, we are,” she calls out, her voice steady despite the tension in her frame. “Don’t come back.”

He glares at me one last time before turning on his heel and stalking off. Footsteps sound on the stairs. The slamming of a door. I watch until he’s fully out of sight, then close the door, locking it firmly behind me.

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