Page 39 of Soulless Deeds

Echo turned rigid before I saw the challenge snap in his gaze. As he went to grab me, I skirted beneath his arm, twirling out of reach. “You wouldn’t want to manhandle a fragile pregnant woman, now, would you? The first trimester is a vulnerable timefor ababy.Very sensitive,” I said, patting my lower abdomen in exaggeration.

I was all shit, of course. There was no way I was pregnant, contraception a sacred law as soon as I lost my virginity—an uneventful and disappointing event (which I had since made up for over the years).Oh,but to rile him… The opportunity was too good to pass up.

Echo’s jaw clenched as he zoned in on my hand, reluctantly retreating. Then, he grimaced, recognition taking hold. “Are those my boxers?”

I lowered my fingers and pinched the fabric. “Mm, they’re quite comfy. The extra room up front is kind of refreshing. You know, since it’s not rubbing against my piercing.”

Echo’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he took a deep swallow. Almost in slow motion, he leant down until the tip of his nose knocked against mine. “No fucking around. Do what you got to do, then come back.”

“Don’t worry, Daddy, I won’t be long.” I hastily stepped out of his orbit before I did something really crazy, like capture those irresistible lips with mine.

Echo snapped upright, rolling his shoulders back, expression livid like he was about to entirely lose his shit. His chin tipped to the shadows, and out stepped a stealthy man in all-black attire, a hidden bodyguard waiting on the outskirts.

I went to protest, but Echo cut me off instead. “No negotiation. Either he goes with you, or you don’t go at all.”

I decided to concede by giving an elaborate bow, muttering under my breath, “The least I can do since you’re paying for this endeavour.”

“What?”

“What?” I straightened, smoothing my features into an innocent mask.

Before he could change his mind, I turned, veering for the exit. That’s when I heard a whispered mumble behind my back. “You want to play? Let’s play,” Echo said so low, I’m sure I wasn’t meant to hear it. Either way, I was a willing participant in his game of love and war. And the most important component?I never lose.

When I reached Remi, I offered him an extra piece of gum from my pocket. His face blanched as he vigorously shook his head.Weird. He loves this stuff as much as I do.I followed his gaze over my shoulder to Echo, who remained where I left him, his eyes trained on us both with a smug smirk layered over his face.

My brow furrowed as I dragged Remi after me and chuckled when we hit the sidewalk. The day was looking up, my best friend by my side, a weird, quiet bodyguard in tow and an unlimited plastic card in my pocket.What can possibly go wrong?

Remi bumped his shoulder into mine, shaking his head in disbelief. “You are totally fucked, Spencer.”

“Maybe.” I shrugged. “But where’s the fun in giving up now? Can I have your phone? I want to make an order.”

Remi begrudgingly surrendered his phone, mumbling about being guilty by association or something. Until I pulled out the slick black credit card to pay.

Remi started. “You’re definitely going to get us killed.”

“He tried that already. I’m unkillable.”

“Saints.” Remi gulped. “I’m not.”

ECHO

The image of Remi’s face draining of colour only conceded my bloodlust for a short amount of time—as much time as it took to ride the elevator up to my apartment, to be precise. With each minute that ticked over in her absence, my heart rate pummelled faster in warning.

Their guard’s latest update was a photo of them eating dinner together.Dinner? With another man. While she was potentially pregnant withmyfucking baby.What the actual fuck?

It didn’t matter that it hadn’t even been twenty-four hours since she’d re-entered my life. There was an indescribable need building inside of me, but I refused to dissect every microscopic feeling or emotion beyond that. Her very presence was already driving me half crazy.

All I knew was that Spencer King was my responsibility—to keep safe, to watch over, to fuckingown.She wasmine, and I’d drag her back by the roots of her shining auburn hair if I had to.

I barged into my walk-in wardrobe, the lingering smell of cotton candy contaminating the air. Spencer had stolen my clothes, and I knew exactly where she’d found that gum.

My fingers danced over my hanging dress shirts, out of skew from their usual alignment. Pushing them aside, I opened the secret panel to the hidden compartment behind, perusing the stash with a fine eye.

Ringing sounded from my pocket, and I answered my phone without checking the caller ID.

“Sir, a delivery has arrived at the front desk. Would you like me to bring it up to your apartment?”

Ralph’s question filtered through without processing, my sole attention trained on the contents inside my safe. Besides themissing candy, everything remained in place—designer watches, passports. Then, my fingers glitched as my card wallet looked a bit thin. Swiping through, I immediately knew why.

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