Page 27 of Dove

“You threatened your father! What happens the next time when he’s not as forgiving?” He rubbed between his eyes as if he was trying to stay calm.

“I’m not worried about my father. And you should be more worried about what I’ll do to you if you don’t remember your place.” I shot back.

Bash took a deep breath as he placed both hands on my shoulders. “My place is by your side, the same as it’s been since we were kids. The same place I want to be until the day I die. But I can’t do that if you go off the deep end and get yourself killed first.”

Did I think he was right? No. Nothing would convince me I needed to give up my little dove. But did I believe his anger came from a misguided place of concern for me? Yes. Still, I was in charge. No one told me what to do.

“And my place is by her side.” I made no effort to hide the weight of my threat. He knew who I was and what I was capable of. “Figure out how to deal with that, or I’ll add you to the pile of bodies.”

Bash’s eyes hardened as he dropped his hands. He nodded once. I was about to turn for the stairs, the discussion over, when Tristan spoke.

“She’s a fucking whore.” He shouted. “You’re going to lose it all. All the power. All the money. For a whore?”

Bash grabbed for me, but it was too late. I had Tristan pinned to the wall, the knife deep in his shoulder in seconds. I felt my blood boiling. The rush of it in my ears drowning out everything else. A dozen or so of my guards had come at the sound of our raised voices. No one would save Tristan. This was my house. My word was law.

“She’s not a whore. She’s my woman. You’ll show her the respect she deserves.” I growled as I twisted the knife.

Tristan tried to push me off, but I punched him in the face. My knuckles stinging as the crack of bones filled the air. He slumped slightly on the wall, my body holding him in place. “I’ve spared your life already once in the last few months. When you killed our only source of information to the Gallos, I allowed you another chance. And look what happened. My woman got kidnapped because we didn’t have what we needed. But I let the mistake go. I let you live. But you just keep fucking up. Do you want me to kill you?” I twisted the knife again, and he groaned. “Uncle will be so disappointed when I bring him your head on a platter.”

“All this for pussy.” He shook his head but grunted in pain when I punched him again. Adrenaline coursing through my body as blood burst from his nose, landing on the tile floor with a sick wet sound.

“You paid her! You can pretend all you want. You can try and make her something more, but she’s a whore. You can kill everyone who tells you the truth, but it won’t change.” Tristan’s eyes were manic as he screamed at me. Emotions I couldn’t identify marring his features. In all the years we’d spent together, I’d never seen him like this. He was always a little crazy, but this was suicide.

“He was right. She’s a freak who likes to get smacked around, and you’re fucking crazy enough to do it. That’s the only reason she’s here.”

I would’ve ended him right then and there, but a sharp inhale sounded behind me. I whipped my head around to see Kincaid standing at the top of the stairs. Her white blonde hair was mussed from sleep. She tugged on the hem of the shirt she wore. My shirt. Her gray eyes widened as she took in the scene in front of her.

It was her worst fears. Her secret desires out in the open.

And me. Holding a knife in someone’s body.

If I hadn’t lost her before, then I just had.

14

Kincaid

Iflew to a sitting position clutching the sheets to my chest. My heart smashed against my ribs as I tried to figure out what had woken me. The sound of the front door slamming and raised voices carried to my ears. I felt around the bed beside me even though I knew he wasn’t there. If Maddox had been in bed, he would’ve been holding me. He was always touching me. I tried to push away the warm squishy feeling that gave me.

I shoved the covers down and stood. My feet were silent on the plush carpeting as I walked to the bedroom door. I wasn’t sure why I was compelled to see what was happening downstairs. Maybe because I’d never heard yelling before. Or maybe it was just my sick sense of curiosity.

I opened the door then paused, glancing down at my bare legs. Maybe I should put on some clothes. Maddox probably wouldn’t appreciate me walking around half-naked in front of his men. I moved to the closet and quickly pulled on a pair of leggings. As I walked back to the bedroom door, the sound of my name carried up the stairs, and I surged forward. What were they saying about me?

I couldn’t stop myself from needing to know. Was Maddox finally going to get rid of me? Was this the end? I hated that my heart twisted in fear. I should want it to be over.

I walked quickly down the hall until I stood at the top of the stairs. No one seemed to notice me as Sebastian yelled at Maddox while he spoke in a harsh tone that left no doubt he’d killed and enjoyed it.

“She doesn’t belong here. She needs to go.” Sebastian’s words filtered up to me. My heart gave a painful tug. I’d always liked him. Well, maybe like was too strong. But I respected him. I knew his job was to watch out for Maddox. He seemed to understand him and wanted to keep him safe. And he’d been kind to me. I couldn’t explain the hurt his words caused because he was right.

I watched them argue back in forth for a few minutes. Their voices had lowered, so I wasn’t able to catch every word. I glanced around, and my eyes connected with Henry. We’d been spending a lot of time together since he’d been assigned to guard me. His eyes told me he disagreed with Sebastian. He shook his head slightly as if to confirm my assumption.

Maddox’s next words floated to me. “My place is by her side. Figure out how to deal with that, or I’ll add you to the pile of bodies.”

Holy shit. Did he just threaten to kill Sebastian? His guard. His second in command. For me?

I tried to hide the way his possessive words warmed my chest. But it wasn’t easy. Even if I knew we shouldn’t be together. Knew his life wasn’t for me. I couldn’t stop myself from enjoying the feeling of being wanted. No one wanted me. My own father had cast me aside.

But Maddox did. He told me every day he wanted me. Told me I was his. It was hard for a girl like me to turn away from that.

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