Page 44 of Breaker

“Have a good day, Zane.” I step around him, eyes locked on the front of the building. A firm grip on my bicep stopsme mid-stride, and I glare over my shoulder at Zane who’s apparently lost his mind in the last three weeks.

His hand drops to his side, but I note how his fingers flex, like Rune does right before he lashes out. “Has Rune filled you in on the details?” Zane asks.

I catch the hint of a smile and my stomach roils. “Same old shit, different day, right? We make deals, we hide evil, and we make even more money. Just another day in paradise,” I snark, “Except I get the disadvantage of having to see your dick when the ink’s dry.”

Zanes eyes narrow, slightly irritated by my insult, my presence and the fact we’re talking, which fits him better than the fake concern. I’m not stupid enough to think he gave a shit if I was okay. And it’s no wonder he’s irritated. I was returned, and I’m not Delly. I’m set to be his wife. Not Delly.

He sighs. “A deal’s a deal so we have to move forward. Besides, Cora it won’t be…”

I nod absently, only half listening—half caring— that he’s talking to me. “Yeah. I guess being kidnapped, doesn’t give me a pass. Duties and all.”

When I move toward the door again, a passerby slams into me. On instinct, I shove him back as he mumbles an apology, and my eyes land on the biker. My step falters. There’s something about him…

“Look at me when I speak to you.”

My eyes snap over Zane. He’s beside me, features contorted messily, like his mask slipped and all that ugliness living in him leaks through.

I recoil at his expression and his tone. “Excuse me?

“I said, look at me when I speak to you.” The harsh grip on my chin, makes me wince, bitter fear flooding my mouth. The possessive, angry flare in his eyes makes me jerk away, but his grip tightens, fingers digging harshly into my skin. My heartskips in all the wrong ways, the angry grip and the violent tone reminding me so much of Rune that I freeze in place, blinking stupidly as Zane leans in and says, “I don’t like repeating myself. When I give you an order—”

An engine revving drowns out the rest of his words and unfreezes me. I jerk back, Zane’s fingers slipping away, the same time Conner drives away and the black motorcycle skids to a stop at the curb.

Zane turns around long enough to glance at the bike, and grips my arm, pulling me forward. I snatch my arm back, freeing myself from his hold as I watch the rider swing his long leg over the bike and stride, with slow, deliberate steps toward us.

Like he can sense the dark presence storming up behind him, Zane turns back around and before he even has a chance, the rider grabs him by his face and tugs him forward, looming over him menacingly. Black gloved fingers dig harshly into Zane’s cheeks the same way Zane was holding me, but hard enough that his lips part.

Spittle flies from Zane’s mouth, his eyes burning red as he grunts and tries to talk, but the rider only pinches his cheeks tighter.

“Back off!” Clyde screams and suddenly things are moving. People gasp, a woman scurries into the front of the building.

Someone screams.

Clyde steps up next to me, arm outstretched, gun in one hand pointed directly at the rider’s head.

“I said back off, buddy,” Clyde growls. “Unless you want your father to struggle to identify your body after I release this entire clip into your helmet, I suggest you let him go.”

With a brutal shove, the rider pushes Zane away, taking a step back. His covered face turns to me, and he nods, before heturns his back to us, and stalks away. The engine is deafening as the bike roars to life, and he rides away.

My cackle breaks through the air, unfreezing everyone.

“What the fuck was that?” Zane screams, sobering me quickly. “Get some fucking decent security Harlow! I want that mother fucker tracked down.”

Clyde nods, waving away onlookers and sliding his gun in its holster at his back. “I’ll get the security footage and see if we can get a read on the plates.”

Zane doesn’t answer, just pops his neck and rubs his jaw, stalking toward the entrance. “I want him found Harlow,” he throws over his shoulder. “And I want a new security team.”

Clyde shakes his head, glancing down the street before taking my hand. “I swear, girl, you attract trouble everywhere you go.”

Chapter 14

Breaker

I’m not a decentman. I’m not someone my mother would be proud to have given her life for. I’ve killed. Maimed. Hurt people far beyond the scope of what the human mind can imagine.

Because that’s what I was told I was. Destruction. And that’s all I was good for.

That’s all I want to do right now.

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