Page 62 of Cruel Vows

When I told Ellie that it was a possibility there was a picture floating around last night, I didn’t want it to be true. I would have paid any amount of money for it not to be true.

The last thing she needs is for the brand to be made public knowledge. The marks on her hands and thighs are bad enough.

Aiden’s mouth drops open. “Excuse me?”

He throws an elbow back, catching Royce in the side. With a groan, Royce drops his grip on Aiden.

All it takes is a couple seconds for Aiden to cross the room and get in my face. “You should have been the one to tell me about the damn attack. I shouldn’t have had to get a fucking message from some unknown number.”

“I don’t report to you.”

It’s the wrong thing to say, even if it’s the truth.

Aiden’s fist swings back before it collides with the side of my face.

Laughing, I work my jaw to the side, more annoyed about the stinging sensation than I am angry. “That all you got?”

With a wordless yell, Aiden throws himself at me, but I’m ready. When he goes high, I duck and slam my fist into his stomach.

The air is forced from his lungs as he doubles over.

Royce is on him in the next instant, pulling him back. “Aiden, stop being an idiot. Nobody here is happy that Ellie is hurt, but how about we act like adults?”

I cross my arms, glaring at Aiden as he straightens up. “If you attack me in my own home again, it will be the last.”

Aiden’s chest puffs out as he steps closer to me. “I’d like to see you try.”

Royce groans. “Can the pair of you put away this alpha male bullshit? We’re here to find out what happened to Ellie, not beat the hell out of each other for not starting the goddamn phone tree.”

My arms drop, and I stuff my hands in my pockets. “I was going to talk to you this morning, after I had a coffee. Ellieneeded some time alone to process everything last night. She was a mess.”

Aiden pales and sinks down into one of the dining chairs. “How the hell did someone get to her?”

“That’s what Dominic is in the middle of doing right now. I have the people who worked last night being held for questioning.” I rock on my heels, glancing toward the stairs. “Ellie is still sleeping. She doesn’t want anyone to know about the brand, though.”

“I’m not going to pretend it isn’t there,” Aiden says, his voice a low growl. “That bastard had my sister marked.”

“It could have been worse. It’s just a brand. She’s going to heal from it in time, but revenge isn’t yours to get.” I keep my tone level, even though bile rises in the back of my throat, a bitter taste filling my mouth.

Aiden’s nostrils flare, fist banging on the table. “Like hell it isn’t. The bastard marked my sister.”

Royce sighs, pressing his fingers to his temples. “But she’shiswife.”

“We don’t have time to deal with this right now anyway.” I nod to Dominic as he walks into the room. “Dominic is going to watch Ellie while we go out to the cottage and question the guards who worked last night.”

Aiden shoots to his feet, heading for the back door. “I’m the one who gets to kill the man who did this to her. She might be your wife, but you don’t give a damn about her, so don’t pretend that you do.”

Before Royce can get between us, my fist cracks into the side of Aiden’s face.

“Say that again and this is done.” I storm to the door, yanking it open and heading down the path that leads to the cottage at the far end of the property.

Royce sighs as he falls into step beside me. “You’re going to have to forgive him. I don’t know what the hell is going on in his head right now, but I know that he’s as worried about Ellie as you are.”

“He’s the one who agreed to us getting married in the first place.” I dig in my pocket for the key to the cottage. “If he thinks that I don’t care about what happens to Ellie while she’s under my care, then he’s wrong.”

Royce chuckles and looks over his shoulder. “He’s not going to see things that way. After she saw Dad die, he took on this need to protect her at all costs. He lets Jade, Summer, and Skyla have a little more freedom—though it still isn’t much—but when it comes to Ellie, it’s like something in him snaps.”

“All sense of reality?”

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