Page 63 of Good As Hell

Stiffening when he moves toward me, I will myself to move, to run, though I know there is nowhere I can go.

I shouldn’t further antagonize him — I know that still as my feet dart away and down the hall before I can even think of anything else to do. I have no plan, but fear is a huge motivation.

A rough, cruel chuckle grits out of him as his stride eats a way too easy pace behind me.

“Where do you think to go, wife? Every exit is covered.” He doesn’t even raise his voice. He doesn’t break stride. Not when I take the stairs.

Heading far away from my son, I rush out to the vast lush grasses of the property.

Maybe I just don’t want him to kill me in front of my son. Maybe I hope he’ll see reason.

Realization hits that I’m innocent in all this, that I’m only making it worse. He knows I had no choice but to go. I’m sure FADE told him my side.

Pulling up short right before the property line gives way to the endangered animal sanctuary that Oz keeps, I feel a stitch in my side.

Turning, I face him.

“Oh no, keep running,” he growls, shaking his head slowly. His stride is slow and leisurely, like a predator talking his prey. He licks his lips, nodding for me to keep going.

“Uh-uh,” stumbling a little, I keep backing up. Taking a quick look behind me, then back to him, I hold my hands up. My fingers are trembling. Squeezing them doesn’t help, but I keep them up to maintain some semblance of distance, but he just keeps coming.

“Animals roam freely in the sanctuary.” I add, backing up to a mural tree.

Eyes narrowing, his mouth thins. “Animals roam free all over this property. But I guess you were too busy entertaining other men to take note.”

Keeping my hand raised to ward him off. “I mean the big ones.” Clarifying, ignoring his insinuation.

He knocks my hand away. “I’m the deadliest motherfucker out here. The only thing you have to worry about is me, little sparrow.”

“I didn’t know what was going on until tonight. Nikko said mistakes were made?—”

He leans into me, thrusting his face close to me, snarling through clenched teeth, “How the fuck are you involved with the Savalle Syndicate? Why would they break our alliance for you, Lyric?”

His eyes sweep over me. A sick feeling settles in my stomach. He’s already thinking the worse but there are some secrets I can’t speak on even to him — especially when they aren’t my own.

“All I can say is I grew up with Nikko. He was our neighbor in Elyton Village.”

His jaw works hard. “FADE said as much but said y’all thought he was dead. So was it Oz? Did he make you fuck him for protection?”

“No, no, no! Why would you even say something like that?” My throat is raw from running from him and the pain from his awful assumptions.

“Because men like them don’t just do shit like this. They only care about their seven. No women. But I’ve seen what women like you can do. How you can twist a motherfucker in knots. And none is better at it than you, Empress. Had me trusting that you’d keep your word.” Bitter hard words spew from him like poisoned daggers straight into my heart.

Fury has me pushing hard at his chest. “Well, I don’t have to fuck anyone to get them to do shit for me, asshole. A-and I kept my word. I was told you were behind the attack.”

His hand shoots out against my chest. Something dark twist on his face. My back slams into the bark of the tree. Wincing, I grab his arms, holding me away from him.

I’m the one that was attacked. Me. Now I’m having to defend my integrity. No fucking way. Anger tears through me further igniting the frustration and misery of not knowing who orchestrated all of this, not to mention the trauma my baby has had to endure.

“Let me go.” I all but scream, wanting so bad to get at him, fight him.

His strong hand circles my neck, squeezing. “The fuck I will. I’m going to put a fucking chip in you. This is the last time I’m tracking your little ass down across a got damned continent. Get something straight, wife. If I wanted to kill your little dumb ass, you’d be dead and no one could prove otherwise.”

Shaking me for emphasis, a cruel smile slashes his face, making his dimples a sinister kiss. “It’d be easy to do. You’re so fucking little. I can break you without even trying. You keep pressing a motherfucker. Trying me. I should put us both out of our misery.”

I can tell he means it. Twisting, I kick his shin, trying to get free.

“Sto—”

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