Page 82 of Brutal King

“He won’t want my backing. As far as he knows, I’m the enemy that killed his uncles.”

“You’ll explain it to him.” She sips her wine. “And Louisa can be your olive branch.”

She has a point. “All right. Plan it. I want you and Itsuki there to make sure it goes through without a hitch.”

“I like it,” she says with a grin. “It’s going to be fun.”

“Here,” I set the plate with the steak in front of her. “Rare. Just the way you—” Something in my peripheral catches my attention. I touch my finger to her side and she jumps away in surprise.

“What are you doing?” she demands with great offense.

“What the hell is this?” I lift my fingers and show her the blood on them.

She twists and grimaces as she peers it. “As you know, when I went back for Maisie, Arran stabbed me. Fucker.”

Yes, I’m aware that she was injured on her solo mission to recover Maisie. Arran and Gunner had also showed up to rescue the girl and the encounter ended with Scarlet on the losing side.

“You didn’t get stabbed there. What did you do?”

“Nothing,” she says, taking a step away when I come close. “Just leave me alone. Actually, I should probably go. It’s getting late.”

She attempts to sidestep me, but I’ve always been faster. I snatch her up by the wrist and spin her so that she’s pressed against the counter.

“Let me go!” She kicks me in the shin and shoves me away. She’s got the steak knife grasped firmly in her hand and aimed toward me. “Come near me, and I’ll fuck you up, Gideon.”

I hold my leg, trying not to scream at her, wishing I could strangle her and not regret it. “What have you done?”

“Nothing!” She thrusts her blade, missing my face by an inch.

Taking advantage of her momentum, I throw her against the wall. I pin her to it with my elbow, putting my entire weight into it.

With my free hand, I lift her shirt slightly and catch sight of the many scars she’s made over the years. She calls them notches. A mark for each kill.

My heart sinks as I spot a fresh one. “You promised you’d stopped doing this to yourself.”

“No!” She shoves me off. “You don’t get to tell me I’m fucked in the head. Not when you’re just as fucked up as me.”

“But I don’t hurt myself.”

“Don’t you?”

We glare at each other. It’s me that finally averts my eyes, because it’s impossible to maintain control when I bare much of the blame for her illness. “Let me look at it at least. Make sure it’s not infected.”

“I look at it every day. I promise it’s fine.”

“Hello.” Both Scarlet and I whirl to the feminine voice. Sofia is standing in the doorway, watching us curiously. “I heard screaming.”

“I’m sorry if we woke you,” I say.

“I was already awake. You weren’t in bed.” She glances between us.

I straighten and clear my throat. “Sofia, this is my associate, Scarlet.”

My second in command gives her a winning smile. “Nice to meet you, Sofia.”

“You’reScarlet?” Sofia scans the entirety of Scarlet’s person with accusation. “The Scarlet from the balustrade?”

Scarlet’s brows knit together. “Balustrade?”

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