Page 16 of The Devil Can Be Kind

I switched on the speaker bar from under the flat screen and scanned through the channels until a heavy metal music station flashed on the screen. I adjusted the volume to the max and music instantly screamed through the room so loudly I had to put my hands over my ears.

Chuckling to myself, I ran into my closet to find the fluffy earmuffs I had spotted earlier when organizing. I threw them on to dampen some of the sound and perched on the bed, waiting for the inevitable scolding.

A minute ticked by.

Then another.

I frowned, disappointed that yetanotherplan seemed to be failing.

This time I wouldn’t give up so easily. I adjusted some of the settings on the television, cranking up the bass until the whole room started rattling to the beat.This will do it.

I laid back on my bed and waited, trying to contain a maniacal laugh.

One minute… Two.

Sure enough, the door slammed open with a whoosh not a second later.

I was instantly surprised to see the Don stalking into the room instead of one of his lackeys. He stopped at the foot of my bed, glaring at me with absolute fury in his eyes. I gulped.

Perhaps I have bitten off more than I can chew…

“What the fuck are you doing?” He yelled.

I just shook my head and gestured to the music, pretending I couldn’t hear him. A muscle in his jaw twitched and he turned, storming over to the source of the noise. The television turned black, and the sudden absence of sound was painful.

The Don then turned back to me, face tensed in anger as I removed my ear muffs.

“I’m sorry, what were you saying?” I asked sweetly.

“You are playing with fire, Adalyn. If there is one thing I do not tolerate it is insubordination.” He spat.

“Insubordination? I was just listening to music.” I insisted innocently.

I’ll damn well show him insubordination!My temper bubbled.

“And the other night?” He demanded.

The innocent smile on my face faltered and the words I wanted to shout at him suddenly caught in my throat. Jesse must have told him…

That rat bastard!

“And before you ask, no Jesse didn’t tell me. I had five other people watching youescapeinto a bush.” He mocked darkly, approaching the bed once more.

I thought I saw a smile twitch on his lips, and I glared in response. Color flooded my cheeks in embarrassment.

“Try it again and you will be punished.” He promised.

My heart spluttered with the threat, but it was somewhat short lived. Hadn’t he just said no one was allowed to touch me yesterday?

Guess it’s time to test the theory…

I swallowed back my lingering unease, “You won’t hurt me.”

The Don folded his arms across his chest with indifference, glaring at me with dark, impenetrable eyes. “That sounds oddly like a challenge.”

“It isn’t—it’s an observation. Hurting mewillcost your family and mean war.” I shrugged, and his jaw ticked in obvious frustration. “It seems like a high price to pay for a bit of retribution.” I added, playing to the comment he had made to his own men just the day before.

His voice was cool like steel, “Do you really think I give a fuck about preventing a war? I do what I want. If I wanted you dead, you’dbedead. Remember that.”

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