Page 72 of Ruthless Commander
That smile grew wider. “Surprise.”
Panic filled me as I slowly put it all together. There was nomistakewhen he'd knocked into me at the terminal. No lonely nights to fill when he waited for me outside my building. This had been a set-up from the first fucking day…and I'd fucked him.
I flinched at the thought and took a slow step away from him.
I'd fucked him, and now he'd killed Rhys.
“Stay the hell away from me,” I ordered, taking another step toward the door.
I’d risk getting shot out there, risk anything I had to in an attempt to get away from this crazy asshole. Mateo was out there…somewhere.I jerked my gaze to Rhys. Had Damien killed Mateo too? My steps stilled at the thought as agony ripped through me.
Did he…
Movement carved through the darkness as Damien strode forward and snatched my arm before dragging me with him. “No more fucking around, Xael.Do what you’re goddamn told!”
Agony roared in my arm under his grip. I fought, jerking my arm free, and swung a fist toward his face. But he moved fast, dodging the blow, and unleashing one of his own. His fist caught me on the side of the head, knocking me sideways until my knee gave way. I went down,hard.But the fighter in me reared up. I flung my hand out punched against the floor, and shoved upwards before I lunged for the door.
My fingers skimmed the hard steel, catching around the door handle before I was wrenched backwards, my feet lifting from the floor.
“Stop it!” Damien roared in my ear.“Stop fighting me!
“Fuck you!”I screamed and thrashed, fighting with all I had. I wouldnotlet him take me,notlet him hurt me like he had Rhys…and Baldeon…but Kat…Oh, Jesus, Kat.
I froze for a second at the thought of her, and he tossed me through the air until I hit the wall with a sickeningcrack!Agony ripped through my head. His face blurred before slowly sharpening. “Did you do it?” Fire lashed my throat with the words and tears slipped free. I couldn’t stop them now, no matter how much I wanted to. “Did you kill Kat?”
His breaths scattered strands of my hair as he leaned close. “Yes, now do what you’re told, or I’ll do the same to you.”
I’d never felt fear before today, not true fear, like the one that made you so small and pathetic. The kind of fear that took everything away from you, rendering you incapable of doing anything other than try to survive. I’d never understood those women who climbed into the car at knife point, or the ones who stayed in a loveless, violent marriage. I’d never understood what made a woman do exactly whatever their attacker said.
Now I did.
“You hear me?” He leaned closer, his breath hot on my cheek when I turned my head. He grabbed my jaw, fingers digging in deep as he forced my gaze to his. “Why don’t you like to look at me, Xael? Do I have to remind you, you let me do a lot more than look at you?”
“Fuck you.” I glared into his eyes. “You lying, betraying piece of shit.”
He just smiled, easing away. “You should be nice to me if you want to make it out of here alive.”
“With you, you mean? I’d rather take a fucking bullet,” I barked.
His grip clenched until I moaned, and when he'd forced my gaze back to him, he snarled,“That can be arranged.” Then he kissed me.
30
Xael
His lips were cruel and savage, crushing mine against my teeth until I groaned in agony. Only then did he pull away, leaving my jaw aching and my lips throbbing. “You should’ve picked me, Xael” he growled.
But when he pulled away, I caught the twitch of his body and the catch of his breath…as though he was hurt. I licked my pulsing lips as that thought hit me. He was hurt, and there were others who were dead...Mateo.
“What happened out there.” I tried to temper the hate in my tone.
“Let’s just call it a changing of the guard,” he answered carefully, those dark eyes glinting.
I flinched. “What does that mean?”
His smile was chilling as he pulled away. “Start walking, Xael, or you’ll personally find out what happens to the heirs of the Commission when they cover up the murder of an entire family.”
“An entire family?” I whispered.
