Page 159 of Dangerous Contract: Part 2

Raz nodded, amazed that at a time like this, little Den could still be concerned about others. That was proof that his father hadn’t won.

“I left Leo with her,” Raz told him. “She should be fine. Thank you for asking.”

Denver’s eyes were still filled with tears, but he nodded, his lips quivering. “Will you come back?” he whispered.

“I will. I promise.”

Den took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “Okay, Raz. I’ll stay with Cas and Rome. I’ll be brave. You go find Monique.”

“Good boy.” Raz straightened, turning to his brothers.

Rome gave him a nod. “Go ahead. We’ll stick with Den and keep him safe. Our guys should be bringing an end to all dad’s... theold don’sbullshit right now.”

Cas, though shaken, gave Raz a nod also. “I’ll stay until you get back, then I need to go make sure Meka is okay.”

“She’s here?” Raz asked.

“Yeah. But she’s fine. I left her with a team. They were helping escort guests out when we headed this way.”

Raz had to hurry up and get to Monique so he could let her know her friends were there. She’d want to see them, to make sure they were safe. First, he needed to make sure she was okay. If anything had happened to her in his absence...fuck! He had to go now!

“I’ll be back,” Raz told them before turning toward the stairwell, ready to tear the entire place apart to find his Rose.

But before he could take another step, the stairwell door creaked open, and there she stood. Raz’s breath caught in his throat, and murder hummed through his veins. Monique stood in the doorway, her hair a wild mess, her dress torn in multiple places.

Blood coated her hands, smeared across her knuckles like war paint. She hadn’t looked this way when he’d left her with Leo. Someone had hurt his Rose. Someone had to die. His gaze met hers.

Her eyes lit up the moment they locked onto his. Relief and desperation swirled together in the brown depths of her gaze. And before he could ask her who’d hurt her, she called out his name, her voice like a caress against him.

“Raz!”

“My Rose,” he whispered.

She bolted toward him. He opened his arms, ready to catch her, always ready to catch her. The moment she collided with his chest, he wrapped her in his arms, holding her tightly against him. She buried her face in the crook of his neck, her body trembling as she cried against him.

Raz couldn’t help but close his eyes and breathe in her scent, his heart pounding with relief. She was alive. She was safe. She was in his arms.Thank God.He held her tighter, his hands running over her back as if to confirm she was really there, really in his embrace.

“You’re safe,” he whispered into her hair. “You’re safe.”

Those were the only two words he could utter, the only two words that continued running through his mind. Monique clung to him, her fingers fisting in his shirt, her body pressed close like she was afraid to let go.

“Raz, I...” Her voice broke, and she shook her head as if she didn’t have the words.

She didn’t need to. Raz could feel the fear and relief radiating from her.

“It’s over now,” he murmured, burying his face in the crook of her neck, letting her warmth seep into him. She was safe. He’d never been so grateful for anything in his life. “It’s over. I’m here.”

Monique pulled back just enough to look up at him, her hands coming up to cup his face.

“I was so scared that I’d... that I’d lose you,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

“You’ll never lose me,” Raz stated firmly.

He couldn’t stop looking at her. Even though she was bruised and bloodied, even though her dress was torn, she was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

“You’re bleeding,” he murmured, eyes scanning the blood on her hands. “Who did this? Who do I need to kill?”

“It’s not my blood,” she assured him. “It’s... it’s Isla’s.”

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