Page 35 of Kings of Decay
"Get your hands off of her," Pearce growled.
Derek sneered at him. "Mind your own business, pretty boy," he spat out.
The fact that he showed no fear to the brothers made me even more terrified. I struggled free and fell onto the slushy gravel road.
Ainsley appeared at Pearce's side, and together they surrounded Derek.
"She's not your property," Ainsley said, his voice low and dangerous. "You can't be treating women like that. Aren't you a married man?"
Derek chuckled. "Na, my divorce just went through."
My eyes flew between Derek and the brothers.
"Come on, let me have her... Unless you want the mulatto whore," he said.
There was a collective gasp and a wiry, tense silence.
Ainsley's eyes darkened. "Willow doesn't belong to anyone except us." He slammed his fist into the drunk man's gut.
Derek let out a blood-curdling groan, staggering back and throwing up all over his jacket.
Unbothered by the mess, Pearce grabbed him by his collar and pinned him against the truck. "Do you understand?"
Derek nodded, blubbering some words that I didn't catch. He took a shuddering breath.
"Don't ever talk about her like that again," Pearce snarled, punching him in the face.
I winced as a tooth flew out of Derek's mouth, and he fell to his knees with a cry.
"God damn fuckers!" He shouted. "Just cause your daddy runs shit, you think you can have it all. You think you can get away with murder? Well, wake up, boys, you're the fucking princes of nothing!"
Ainsley turned on his heel. "What did you say?"
Chapter twenty-four
Pearce
Oh fuck, he was done for now.
I watched a switch flip in Ainsley's head as he whirled towards the drunk idiot. Ainsley wasn't usually as violent as me, but even he had his triggers. And by admitting he knew something, that drunk guy had just signed his death certificate.
The guy, Derek, stammered, his whisky-fueled bravery suddenly faltering. "Nothing," he said, throwing up his hands. Blood streaked his chin. "She's yours," he added.
Ah, well, that was his first mistake. It wasn't just about Willow now.
My gaze slid to her. She was standing frozen in her tracks, trembling like one of those little dogs that movie stars like to put in their purses.
Her eyes met mine, her brown eyes round and glistening with tears. Did she want me to save her, or did she still think I was the enemy in this situation?
I could save her now,andstill be her downfall later.
A smack echoed in the silence as Ainsley punched the drunk again, sending more teeth flying. "What do you know?"
"I know the same thing everyone else does!" Derek spat blood as he spoke. "You act like you don't leave an evidence trail a mile wide, but everyone knows. I bet the trooper knew too, and that's why you fed him to the wolves."
My brother and I exchanged a glance. We didn't need to say anything to understand each other.
"You think you can get away with it?" Derek slurred, laughing a little hysterically. The liquor was really getting to him now. "Think again. You'll rot in hell for what you did."
