Page 226 of Quinlan

A sob wrenches itself from the deepest, darkest places of me.

Damien doesn’t care. He doesn’t give a damn. That’s what the twisted amusement in his sapphire eyes tells me.

“Bad girls, darling, they get punished.”

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

Damien

As soon as Ashtoncalled, I knew.

The bones in the body knew. My twisted heart fuckingknew.

“Quinlan has escaped.”

He was given one simple instruction. Before Quinlanmoved inwith us, we told him she is to never leave our penthouse. Ever. For nothing.

He and Shawna were the only ones allowed in. No one else was supposed to see her face. Out of the question.

For her own safety and for our peace of mind.

We couldn’t trust anyone. Other than these two people, we had to keep her identity a secret. Ashton and Shawna were vetted after a grueling, thorough background check. NDAs were signed. They were good to go.

That first time they were there was smooth sailing.

Today turned out to be an entirely different story.

To say we’re disappointed in Ashton would be the understatement of the century.

Rome and Liam wanted to be here. More like, Rome wanted to kill Ashton for letting this happen. But before I hauled ass out of the office, I told them I’d talk to her today.

As in talk-talk.

First, though, I have to calm both her and my goddamn self.

“Mmm-mm-mm!” Quinlan wiggles between me and my SUV. Her hot breath tickles my palm as she screams into it.

Her tongue is sweet on my skin when she licks me. Her teeth are sweeter.

As sweet as she is, it doesn’t change the fact that I’m two seconds from losing it.

She was going to see Rex.

“You think you deserve to be let go?” The fear I still feel turns me into a raging psycho. I’m aware. Can’t control it. “You risked yourself. You fucking risked yourself, Quinlan. Rome was clear about what happens if you’re being reckless with our property.”

More screaming. More wiggling. She must be drawing attention, no matter how hard I pin her to the SUV’s door and shield her with my body.

See if I give a fuck. I’ll destroy anyone who comes close.

Like he could’ve destroyed her.

“You think…” We’re in the middle of the street. I snatched her over to the side. My hard cock presses between ass cheeks. “You think you’ve earned your freedom?”

“Sir, what’s going on here?” A man’s voice at my side.

He isn’t wearing a police uniform.

He’s worse than a cop. His phone is in his hand, and he’s close.

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