Page 99 of Brutal Knight

“You got any prayers to say?"

Nodding, he closed his eyes, whispering to his Santa Maria as I maneuvered him on his side, injecting the liquid into a vein on his arm. I knew the moment it hit his brain, a smile curling his lips, he grew lax.

We sat there for a long moment, him enjoying the high from the heroin while I looked up at the sky, staring at the stars, remembering that night when my littlePolvicitaand I emerged from the cave after the hurricane. The night sky had been similar to this one, the world silent, as if holding its breath after the storm.

Except, this was the beginning.

After a long moment, I pulled out my Beretta, pointing it down at him, ready to pull the fucking trigger with a bullet namedvengeance.

I knew that if I was discovered, the Vegas streets would run with the blood of our kind.

The cartel would not lie down after this act.

And yet, I just didn’t give a shit.

It was worth it,for her.

* * *

Sixteen hours later,I stood outside the black door labeled number ’ten’, knowing that tonight was the night I would lay everything out.

I would really bear my heart to Tatiana, even if that fucker, Rook, insisted on staying in the room.

It was time for her to know why I’d left her in Cuba.

Why she’d thought I’d abandoned her.

I would get on my knees if necessary.

She was everything to me, and she needed to know it.

As I entered the room, it was already aglow with the soft, yellow light of the lamp, situated on the stand next to the bed.

As always, the sight of Tatiana arrested me. She was on the bed, the stunning creature of both my dreams and my nightmares. Exquisite, dressed in a dominatrix outfit: a black leather corset leotard, with ties crisscrossing across her magnificent tits and down her belly. Once again, she straddled the bed, facing me with intense eyes and a grave look on her face. Her back was straight, her hands tied behind them.

This was new. Something about it was…different.

I entered the room, quickly glancing around me and noting the fact the glass wall was down. Rook wasn't here.

“Hello," Tatiana said, her voice soft, like crushed velvet, “I’ve missed you this week."

My gaze honed in on her. Like always, I was drawn to her, like gravity draws the moon to the earth.

She was so beautiful, it made my chest ache.

“You…” I couldn’t speak, only stare at her in awe as I made my way to the bed. Reaching out, I brushed a thumb across her cheek, and a shiver crawled over her.

“Do you remember…” she said, then paused. Her chest hammered in and out like a hummingbird and a blush of red flushed across her cheek. “Do you remember that first day we met?”

“Like it was yesterday.”

“Then you remember the promise you made to me?”

“Of course.”

“What was it?” A slight bob to her throat.

“That I would always keep you safe.”

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