Page 16 of Vengeful Union

I want to scream but instead, I just keep my mouth shut, worried that he’ll cut me. Worried that he’ll call for Oscar, and I’ll get shot.

All my rage has cooled, and now I’m trembling. “Don’t hurt me. I’ll beg you for the sandwich. Just please don’t hurt me.”

Scott chuckles low in his throat. “It’s a little too late for that, Burke bitch.”

I scream and kick at him again when he tries to spread my legs, but he’s got a good grip on me, and the knife slashes across my skin, stinging.

It’s not deep, but it’s long, and blood trickles down to the carpet.

I look up at him, and his grin is downright terrifying.

He is coming for me. Question is, what is he going to do with me?

Because whatever it is, I’m sure I’ll wish for death soon enough.

Chapter Six

6

RORY

As soon asI reach the top of the stairs, the commotion from inside the closed door makes me hurry.

I don’t bother trying the knob, just kick the door off the hinges, and a burly man is leaning over a small girl.

She’s screaming bloody murder, and he’s trying to spread her legs.

Rage washes over me. There’s no way I’ll ever allow anyone to assault a woman, a Burke or not.

Red-hot anger rushes through me, and I spring forward, not making a sound and pulling the guy by the back of his shirt, knocking him against the far wall.

He loses his breath, gasping for air and wriggling on the dirty carpet.

The girl scrambles backward, looking up at me with fearful, green eyes, and I freeze for a split second.

She’s beautiful. Not that it matters, she’s probably a pawn of her father’s, but what am I but the same thing?

Her hair looks sweaty and stringy, but it’s a gorgeous chestnut-brown color. Her eyes are wide and terrified, and I swallow hard when I look down at her, something like protectiveness coursing through me.

She’s bleeding from an eyebrow and also her upper thigh, and my eyes shoot back to the man as he grunts and stands up.

“Who the hell are you?” he demands to know.

“I’m the boss of this whole operation.” I scowl. “And one thing you’re not going to do is touch her.”

“She’s a Burke!”

I walk toward him menacingly, and he backs up against the wall.

He’s bigger than me, taller and fatter, so if he got a good angle, he might get a good drop on me.

Not that I’m going to let him.

I grab him by the shirt, slamming him back up against the wall. “I don’t care who she is. She’s a woman, and we don’t do that.”

“Murphy said?—”

“I don’t give a fuck what Murphy said. This isn’t his mission anymore. It’s mine.”

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