Page 17 of Royally Lucky

“That’s bullshit. I saw them together. A man doesn’t look at a woman the way he did if he didn’t want to possess her. Hell, I’d have staked my life that she was his. Fuck, so what’s the Boss going to do?”

A rough laugh filled the air. “If you’re worried that he’s pissed at you, then you’re much more stupid than I gave you credit for. I’m going to check on our guest. You two go walk the perimeter and make sure everything is secure.”

Andre gave a nod, moving back the way they’d come while he aimed to follow the fucker who thought to check on Sutton. His friend would easily take out the two idiots.

Patience wasn’t his strong point, but he held back. The thought of Sutton being alone with the bastard made himwant to rip his head off with his bare hands. If there were a Neanderthals Anonymous, he’d be their mascot.

The door opened with a loud screech as if nobody cared to oil the damn thing.

“Hello, pet. Did you miss me while I was gone?”

“Like the plague,” Sutton muttered.

“Is that any way to speak to the only thing between you getting treated like a dog and worse than that?”

Before the asshole could slam the door shut, Kendrick pushed his way inside.

“Who the fuck?”

“Hello, asshole.” Every violent thought he’d been thinking came rushing to the front of his mind. He shoved the man across the room, not giving him a chance to react before hitting him in the side of the face with his fist. Sutton’s intake of air made him look to the side, a distraction that gave the asshole a chance to charge him.

He grunted at the pain from the shoulder that hit his abdomen. Instead of falling as the man expected, Kendrick pummeled the exposed back with both hands repeatedly until the fool released him. He held onto the other man’s shoulders and raised his knee, smashing upward.

“Fuck,” he yelled.

Kendrick gripped the back of his hair, propelling him toward the concrete wall. “Who the fuck do you work for?” he asked as blood sprayed.

“Screw you, Bastardo.”

Pulling back, Kendrick slammed the other man’s face into the unforgiving surface several times. The sound of cartilage crushing as he howled didn’t stop his assault.

“Do you honestly think your boss deserves your loyalty? Tell me a name, and I’ll let you live,” Kendrick whispered next to his ear.

A gurgle came from the mess that used to be his face. “Don’t you recognize me? You don’t know who you’re fucking with,” he mumbled.

Kendrick pulled the asshole back until he was arching at an angle that would have his frame surely snapping. “No, why should I?”

The idiot laughed, raising the hair on Kendrick’s arms.

“Look how easily I took something of yours. Next time, you won’t get there on time,” he said, laughing maniacally. “Of course, it wasn’t like what you did out in those woods, hunting an old man.”

Kendrick tossed him to the ground. His fists clenching and unclenching. “A helpless old man? I was a fucking kid made to do it or else. Who was he to you?”

The bastard laughed or tried as he gasped.

Sutton sobbed.

“He’s dying,” she whispered.

“Good. His father was a traitor who killed one of us. My father took me on a hunting trip when I was a boy. Only I wasn’t hunting any animals. Well, not those on four legs. Obviously, you’re Vigliaturo’s long-lost boy. I heard you were back in Chicago and doing things. I didn’t know you’d stooped to kidnapping women for the likes of Dragna,” Kendrick bit out.

“I’m supposed to help those in his condition.” Sutton’s eyes filled with more tears.

He didn’t take his eyes off her as he walked to where she sat huddled in the corner. The bed had seen better days, or rather, had more than likely seen a lot of shit, yet Sutton had her arms locked around her legs that were against her chest like she tried to make herself as small as possible. Hell, he feared she’d break if he tried to move her at that moment.

“It’s okay, Sutton. You’re not supposed to want to do shit for men like him.” He eased down near her thigh without touching her.

She shook her head hard. “Yes, I am. I, I took an oath. Oh god, I think I’m going to get sick.”

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