Page 167 of Quinlan

“You’ll find out what being captive truly means.”

A wicked smile spreads on Quinlan’s face. “Oh, yeah?”

She’s so dirty. The glint of crazy in her eyes is beyond tempting.

It’s a red cape to a bull. A dare.

And it only took her a couple of hours of sleep to regain her strengths.

“Test me, Quinlan. Please do.”

The challenge in her eyes suggests that she’s about to do just that. My senses pick up on it.

Truly, truly adorable of her.

“What did my friends tell you while I was here?”

Her entire expression changes. The hint of a grin shifts into a scowl. Sadness begins to cloud her gaze.

“Rex hurt Damien,” she whispers.

“I asked about the last two hours.” The threat in my words is audible.

“Liam…” Her chin wobbles.

I’m an animal, not heartless. I let the sentence hang in the air, not making her repeat it. “Yes. Liam.”

“You must have been hurt too.”

Colors flash before me. Red. Black. White so bright I growl at the pain.

“Rome?” Her choked voice carries me back.

I’m leaning too much of my weight on her slender body. My hands squeeze her wrists and throat. Hurting her.

“What about me?” I tug on Quinlan’s wrists, hurting her. Then I lower my voice, because there’s no way I’m letting anyone in the building hear me. “You want a reason to pity me, sweetheart? Or, let me guess, you wonder what I’m going to do for revenge. If I’m here boxing because I plan on killing a man with my bare hands. Or a woman.”

For the first time since she’s come down here, Quinlan is speechless. No words come out. And thank fuck, the pity I taunted her about isn’t there behind those gray, gorgeous eyes.

“What part shocked you the most, sweetheart?” I bring my lips to her cheek, tasting the fear on her skin. Fuck, it’s addictive. I let my lips run along her jaw, her cheek, relishing in her shivers. “That someone abused me? That I have plans to end someone’s life? Or is it that I don’t give a fuck that your wrists hurt? That you’re my captive?”

“No one touched you.” A breath. “Not like they had Damien. And it wasn’t an outsider, like Liam’s sitter.”

“You have no idea what Damien went through. What your half-brother did to him.” I deflect. I’m not ready to open up. “Or did you two talk before Liam brought you down here?”

“He’s the only one who’d gone to bed with his clothes,” she says, as if it explains everything.

It does. It explains all of it.

I’m quiet as I stare at her.

There are a few things I value more than anything in this life.

The people who are closest to me. Having food available to them and me at all times.

Managing my anger issues while making sure no one overpowers me. Ever.

BLF Capital.

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