Page 81 of The Devil Can Be Kind

A vaguely familiar female voice rang out across the patio, and I glanced down in time to see a furious looking Lexi marching through the group of people loitering nearby. It took me a moment to figure out that it was in factmethat she was storming toward and shouting at.

“You fucking slut!” She screeched again and people began turning in our direction.

I could see she was unsteady on her feet even from this distance. Her sky-high neon heels glinting in the candlelight as she continued on an apparent warpath toward me.

Alonso intercepted her about fifteen feet away from the table, bringing her to a halt. She immediately took a swing at him, but he blocked as if swatting a fly and she growled in frustration.

I didn’t know what the hell her problem was, but I had a feeling I was going to find out whether I cared for it or not.

“You’re a little bitch, you know that? I don’t know who the fuck you think you are?—"

“I think you’ve said enough Lexi.” I cut her off, my voice cold and biting. “Take your trashy ass home where it belongs.” I picked up my glass and took a sip, dismissing her.

“Metrashy? I hear you sleep with anything wearing an Armani suit, you gold digging skank!” she screamed.

Ah, I see where this is going.

“Cesare Attolini actually,” I corrected mockingly.

“I bet you begged your daddy to leave you here just so you could whore your way through a new family.” My teeth snapped together with that, anger beginning to bubble in my veins. “I don’t blame him for not paying your ransom. No bitch is worth that kind of money.”

My temper flared, and I put the glass down on the table, fearing it would snap if left in my hand. My fingers twitched to be let loose on Lexi’s face as I walked to where Alonso stood restraining her.

“Say that again. Ifuckingdare you.” I stopped less than six feet away as the blonde struggled to get closer to me, her acrylics biting into Alonso’s trunk of an arm.

“I think too much dick has made you stupid, Adalyn. What I said was: nobitchis worth paying that kind of money for. Or any kind of money, actually.” She spat acerbically.

“Alonso. Please move.”

Lexi’s face contorted into a bloodthirsty smile at my words.

“Ma’am—” he begun to protest.

“Now, Alonso.”

Hesitantly, Alonso removed his hand from Lexi’s arm.

Predictably, she sprang at the opportunity and threw herself in my direction. Her uncoordinated legs flailing as she ploughed across the mere feet that now separated us.

Her hands went for my face, and I blocked her arms with ease having already anticipated her move. Her sharp nails sailing through the air only inches away from my face.

I used the opportunity to swing one of my legs round the back of her knee, knocking her off balance as she grabbed a fistful of my hair. My head jerked, and soon enough I was tumbling with her, thankfully landing on top of the skank rather than under her.

Once I got my bearings, I slapped her clean across the face until her grip in my hair loosened. She shrieked and clawed my arms instead, drawing thin red tendrils across the skin. I smacked her again, but this time harder than before, the adrenaline fueling my violence. The crack against her cheek was sickening, but it was scarcely more than a sting to my hand.

Her eyes glossed over in a daze, and I staggered away from her, walking back to the table. I tried my best to ignore the crowd of onlookers that had begun to descend on us.

“Do you really think he wants you?” She laughed, crooning behind me.

God’s, this girl just doesn’t know when to shut up.

“How better to stick it to your family than to screw its only heir?” She rose to her feet, a cruel smile lining her lips. “Don’t you see? By fucking you he’s fucking over the enemy. It’spatheticreally.”

A quiet gasp went through the crowd, but I barely heard it.

I saw red.

Brightfuckingred.

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