Page 38 of Redeemed

The second I’m close enough, I drag Haven to her feet and push her behind me. “You sure drowning is painful enough?”

Colton glances at me. “You have a better idea?”

“Death by a thousand cuts sounds like it could be fun. I’ve always wondered if it’d actually take that many.”

Xander shrugs. “I’m partial to a wood chipper, personally.”

Haven makes a horrified sound, but she doesn’t stop clutching the back of my shirt.

The boys scoff at us before one of them says, “You think we’re scared of a few empty threats?”

Stepping forward, Colton cracks his knuckles. “Who said anything about them being empty?”

Cautiously, Haven peeks out from behind me. She gasps when one of the guys drops his cup and charges Colton. “Wait! Colt, no!”

When she tries to run to him, I catch her with an arm around her waist and haul her back. Colton manages just fine, dodging blows and landing a few of his own. Within thirty seconds flat, he has the guy on the ground with his face pressed into the sidewalk.

“No one hurts my girl and gets away with it,” Colton growls.

Haven’s eyes widen, and I swear I see a flash of confusion before she buries her face in my chest. I hold her gently, not wanting to squish the kitten in her arms.

Colton slams the guy’s face into the ground, and blood splatters everywhere. “If I see you within fifty feet of her again, I’ll fucking kill you. You understand?”

The boy groans.

“Say it out loud,” Colton grits out.

“Won’t get… within… fifty… feet.”

“Good.” Standing, Colton gives him one last kick to the ribs. “Now get lost.”

The guys glance at each other before dragging themselves to their feet and limping down the sidewalk as fast as they can. Only once they’re out of sight do I look down at Haven. She’s looking at the three of us with a soft awe, blinking rapidly.

“Are you all right?” Xander asks.

Colton is already examining her carefully. “She’s not bleeding.”

“Thank you,” Haven breathes out, still looking between us.

“Next time, don’t run off like that,” Colton says. He’s trying to rein in his frustration, but it still bleeds into his voice. “You could’ve gotten hurt.”

The streetlights reflect off the tears in Haven’s eyes, and I can just make out her bottom lip trembling. “Why would they hurt a kitten? They—they were torturing her!”

There’s a long silence as all three of us hesitate. Again, I’m hit with the urge to shield Haven, to keep the darkness of this world as far away from her as possible. But we can’t make that decision for her.

“Some people get off on doing stuff like that,” Xander says. “It’s sick, I know.”

“Theylikeit?” she exclaims, horrified.

“It makes them feel powerful.” Colton’s expression darkens.“That’swhat they like.”

“Oh.” Haven’s posture deflates, and she stares down at the tiny kitten in her arms. “I’ve seen people like that. People like…” Frowning, she shakes her head. “Never mind. Can we keep her?”

Shit.She’s already head-over-heels for the raggedy little thing.

“Students can’t have pets in their dorms,” Colton reminds her.

“But—but just look at her! She’s so thin and sad. It’s gonna get cold soon. She’ll die out here!”

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