Page 77 of Ruthless Commander
I made my way through the storeroom to the open door of the hallway.
“Stupid fucking bitch!”The male roar drew my focus.
Instinct snapped something inside me…and savagery folIowed. I headed toward that sound, drawn by the sick tremble of rage, and neared the broken-open door of one of the weapons rooms. But one of my guards stood at the other end of the room, bent over, screaming at someone on the floor.
Someone curled up.
Someone with their back to me.
A woman.
I stepped in as thunder boomed in my head, knowing, but not wanting to believe. The guard wrenched his boot backwards and then lashed out, driving the blow into her back.
Her…
Xael’s hair splayed out behind her. I flinched as though slapped and silently moved deeper into the room.
“You think he’s going to come for you…HE’S DEAD!”the guard screamed, then jerked his boot back once more.
The movement triggered the beast inside me.
I lunged, diving through the air, and unleashed a savage roar.
He whirled, his eyes wide as he saw me.“No,”he whispered the second before I hit him.
I drove him backwards, taking us both to the floor. Rage was all I felt…Xael was all I saw.
Unmoving.
Her hair fanned out on the floor.
The bastard roared and pushed upwards, swinging his fist, and that was when I recognized him, the guard from the command center.“Blake?”
He stilled, his clenched fist hovering in the air. His lips curled against his teeth.
No. Not Blake, even if he wore the name…
“Who the fuck are you?” The words slipped free before I realized.
The sneer shifted to a smile. Darkness glinted in his eyes. The kind of savagery I’d seen before, and all of a sudden, I was back in that house again. Only this time, the girl crouched in the corner was Xael, motionless on the floor.
“I’m going to kill you.” I kept my gaze glued to him, aware of his every breath.
In a second, the world stilled…my pulse slowed. There was no more panic now.Just a knowing.
This was the end.
Of her.
Of us…
Of me.
“Mateo.” A low moan came, forcing my gaze to her.
Movement followed, her fingers curling as her hand reached out, her hair shifting as she lifted her head. Those dark eyes were all I saw…and that surge of hunger roared through me. Not to survive…but to protect her.
I jerked my gaze back as Blake let out a roar and drove out his fist, catching me on my cheek.Crack.My head snapped sideways, but I turned right back to him.
