Page 39 of Compelled Obedience

“She ain’t yours. She belongs to someone else.”

I jerked his head up by his hair. This asshole was nothing more than a kid hired to bring her to whoever this owner was.

“Don’t. He’s not worth it,” Kerri said from directly behind me.

“But you are.” I glanced over my shoulder, not taking the pressure off the knife. “Here’s what we’re going to do. You’re going to go back to your boss, whoever the son of a bitch is and tell him that Grant Wilde wants to have a long chat with him. This lady is already spoken for. If you or any other piece of trash attempt to hurt her again, you’ll have me to go through. Now, say my name so I make certain you don’t forget it.”

He grinned, blood oozing from his mouth. I shifted the tip of the blade to the top of his ear. “I don’t have any issue slicing your ear off, keeping it as a souvenir until your boss has the balls to talk to me. So, what’s it gonna be, tough guy?”

“Fuck. You’re a sick fuck.” Fear rushed into his eyes.

“Yeah,” I said, laughing. “You’re right. So, which do you prefer?” I acted as if I was going to follow through with my promise and I could see the fear finally shift into his cold eyes.

“Fine. Grant Wilde.”

“Such a good little boy. You can tell him that he’ll find me at Carnal Sins. I’m sure you can remember that. Yes?”

“Yeah, buddy.”

I took a deep breath then pulled away. “Get the fuck out of here. Now.”

He pushed himself off the brick, stumbling before hauling ass down the alleyway. But not before glancing over his shoulder at Kerri. If I didn’t know better, I’d say the kid was experiencing remorse. I immediately turned toward Kerri, taking her into my arms. “Jesus, you’re hurt.” She had a cut on her face.

“I’m okay. He wasn’t going to hurt me.”

“That’s bullshit and you might need stitches.” She was really going to defend him?

“I said I’m okay.” With that, she pushed off, taking two long backward strides away as she pressed her fingers across the gash in her cheek. “Why did you do that?”

“You mean save you from being abducted or worse?”

“I can take care of myself. Sanchez is a good kid.”

“Who was planning to take you to whoever his boss is, which I will guess is a bad dude.”

The girl was terrified, but I honestly doubted it had anything to do with the asshole who’d just accosted her. “He must need money.”

Was she kidding me?

“What is going on, Kerri? I know someone hurt you prior to this. I also know this wasn’t an isolated incident. Was it?” It was obvious I’d hit the nail on the head.

“You don’t know anything about me.” She had difficulty looking me in the eyes.

“I want to. If you’ll let me. Let’s get you inside. We can talk about this when you’re safe.” I scanned the alley, half expecting Sanchez and a couple of his buddies.

“No. I really am fine. Just shaken. Okay? You can go now.”

I studied her and as she dropped her gaze, staring at my knife, I followed her trail, realizing blood covered the tip. “Not until I’m certain you’re okay.”

“Would you have killed him?” she asked, her voice full of angst.

“If necessary to keep you alive.”

“Then what they say about you is true.”

When I walked closer, she backed away. For a split second, I noticed fear in her eyes. What in God’s name was she in the middle of? “And what’s that, Kerri?”

“That you’re dangerous. I read stories.”

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