Page 32 of Pretend
Daegan roars with a burst of accomplished laughter. He leans in, licking his teeth, and whispers into his ear, barely loud enough for me to hear.
“Thank you for giving me a fucking reason to see my favorite color.”
Daegan raises the blade, slamming it into Frankie’s hand. The sound thunders as the knife pierces through flesh and bone until it’s pinned into the wood. Blood pours out along with Frankie’s screams. Everyone in the bar gasps with awe.
Red. His favorite color is red.
Daegan sucks in a breath like he would a cigarette, his cheeks hollowed, furrowing his brows, “Ooo, I love the sound of bones breaking!” He exclaims with ominous glee. A hellish, sinful grin draws on his face, and he shakes his head once like he’s having the best time of his life. He licks the bottom of his straight white teeth. His tongue grazes his sharp canines, and the sight pulls me into him like he’s magnetic.
11
ALESSIA
He just stabbed someone.He just fucking stabbed someone.
Because he wouldn’t apologize to me.
Holy shit.
Everyone in the bar yelped with bewildered gasps. My body subconsciously jumped in fright, my ass in the air for a millisecond, when the blade pierced through his hand and into the wood.
I cover my eyes with my hands, my heart twitching with astonishment.
He’s unhinged. Now I know why Admiral Ravenmore placed him as my personal security.
Daegan Hannibal, Operator Creature, the man in a mask.
Daegan pulls the knife out of Frankie’s hand and looks at his knife, twisting it in his hand, looking at the blood coating the silver Damascus blade.
He laughs dark and sinisterly. “There’s just something about the color red that really brings out the beauty in my knife. Don’t you think, Frankie? I madethis knife from scratch, you know.” He talks to Frankie like he’s a good friend of his and not like he just drilled a hole into his hand, probably crushing his bones in the process. Daegan looks like he’s having fun. Pure pleasure radiates from him. His smile reaches ear to ear.
“You’re fucking psychotic over this fucking bitch!” He wails, clutching his bloody hand.
Oh, no.
I narrow my eyes at a sweaty Frankie, shaking my head.
I turn to Gabe, and he just shrugs like it’s another normal Saturday night.
“I let security leave early,” he drawls.
Great. So there’s nobody here to stop this storm of a fight that’s brewing.
Frankie stands straight up once Kane lets him go, still holding onto his very open wound. His blood profusely drops down his forearm, splattering everywhere. On the counter, the floor, even on his own clothes.
Daegan got him good.
Daegan licks his lips, smirking like a determined devil. Frankie slowly backs away as if trying to retreat into Zeke’s safety, but Zeke doesn’t offer him anything. He walks backward towards the exit, keeping his eyes on Daegan. It’s like he’s afraid he’ll stab him again. With the way Daegan’s crazed mind works, I think he just might.
“Since you don’t know how to talk about Alessia respectfully, your tongue is next.” Daegan grips the blade and stands fast like he just made a promise he intends to keep.
I need to do something.
I grab his shoulder over the chairs, and I’m touching a fucking mass of muscles underneath his sleeve. I squeeze gently but urgently. My fingers dig intohis white shirt. Daegan turns away from Frankie, and his eyes, once filled with unforgiving fury, soften after a few seconds with my hand on his bicep.
“Please,” I beg. “He isn’t worth anything more.” I plead with him, not wanting him to risk his job further.
Winters finally emerges and stands beside me. Her lipstick is smeared all over—evidence of her making out with Lopez present.
