Page 18 of Dark OZ

She released me with a vindicated sneer. I shook out my hand, but before she could relax back on her stool, I surged forward. Dorothy might be used to snapping her fingers and watching boys jump, but it was time she realized where her position was.

My hand wrapped around her throat, lifting her into the air. She gave a strangled scream of surprise, but I kept moving forward, toppling her to the ground. Slamming into the tile, Dorothy howled at the impact. I easily pinned her arms above her and braced my legs against the knees she was already trying to ram into me. This girl was scrappy, but even as she fought, her body was betraying her. Dorothy’s hips lifted into mine, and her spine arched like she wanted me to throw her around. Fuck me, I wanted to.

“This is how it’s going to be. That money you say is waiting for you, is already ours. The Wizard will transfer it to us. In the meantime, we’ll keep the Monkeys off your back long enough to claim what’s owed.” Tightening my grip, I added, “You try anything, and I’ll let Nick ship you to Westin in pieces.”

The Wizard would want the key to the Witcher Empire. He’d want it enough to finally acquiesce to my demands. I’ve been waiting years for this kind of leverage, and it fell into my lap from the most unlikely of benefactors.

Crowe snagged the back of my collar, throwing me hard enough I slid into the island. “She’s injured, you prick. And that—” He pointed to Dorothy, who was struggling to climb back onto her stool. “—was completely uncalled for.”

“She needed to learn—”

“You hurt her again, and it won’t be Thea ending up in pieces. I will fucking tear you apart.”

Dorothy blinked at Crowe. She looked just as stunned as I was. Crowe had never threatened me like this before. I’d seen other people at the end of that death stare, but it had never been me. What Dorothy didn’t know was that Crowe was, in many ways, the worst of us. He seemed like he was supportive, but I’d seen him pull more triggers than anyone, and his hands would never truly be free of the blood that stained them.

“Fine,” she muttered. “When do we leave?”

“When I say we do.”

“It will probably take a few days to make contact with the Wizard,” Crowe added. He reached out and placed a hand over hers. “Not just anyone can gain a meeting with them.”

“And what am I supposed to do in the meantime?”

“We’ll find you a bed. You can start there.”

Dorothy stood up quickly, shoving the stool across the tile floor. It tipped and clattered to the ground with a loud BANG. She winced in pain, then her features locked down in stern determination. With a hard slap against the counter, she said, “Let’s get somethingVERYclear. I’m not sleeping with you. Sex is off the table.” Then she grimaced and swayed, forcing her to latch onto the island for support. Crowe stiffened, and I knew he’d seen her waver, too. The damage done must have been worse than Dorothy was letting on.

“So dramatic,” I intoned, “I meant to sleep. Just because we can see those lacy white panties doesn’t mean anyone wants in them.”

“I wouldn’t say no,” Crowe said, raising his hand and laughing.

“Well, I’m not giving her my bed.” Nick got up and strode back toward the stairs that led to the loft. “You cazzoscan deal with it. The entire idea is a bad one. I still say we should just send her to Westin and take the easy payout.”

“Oh, but I’m sure you won’t have any trouble taking your share of Thea’s inheritance,” Crowe quipped.

Nick didn’t bother turning around or even saying a retort. He held his tattooed middle finger aloft and disappeared into the shadows like he was made of them.

“She can stay with me,” Crowe said before turning Dorothy towards him. “But first, we should really assess the damage Eastin and Em’s people did.” He gave a long scan of her body, lifting up the hem of her shirt to show a dark purple bruise covering her entire side. “You need bandaged up, maybe even stitches. An ice compress for swelling wouldn’t be a bad idea either. He won’t like it, but I’ll make Nick bring the full kit downstairs.”

Dorothy wrapped her arms around her middle. “I really don’t wanthimtouching any part of me.”

“Who would,” Crowe laughed, his eyes alight with his joke looking to mine for acknowledgement. “It’ll be ok. I’ll be there. Nothing will happen.”

“We can probably find you something for the pain,” I suggested. Why was I offering this brat any kindness? She certainly hadn’t earned it.

“So I pass out? Thanks, but no thanks. I’ve seen firsthand what men get up to when women have no choice.”

The thought was truly distasteful. I’m sure Emily’s boys were less than hospitable to the girls who were processed on The Farm. Why any man would want a limp and unresponsive girl beneath them was beyond me.

My lip sneered up. “Princess, I wouldn’t touch you even if you were on your knees begging to choke on my cock.”

Lies. All Lies.Her puffy lips wrapped around my dick, tears leaking from her eyes as she begged for air, was just about the sexiest thing to ever cross my mind.“Suffer for all I care, but if you want those wounds to heal, the best thing you can do is sleep.”

Crowe punched my shoulder. “You have zero tact. None. Go away. You make literally nothing better sitting around here antagonizing everyone. We’ll see you in the morning when you resemble a semi-decent human being.” Crowe, the bastard, turned his back on me and brought a soft hand up to cradle her cheek. I can’t believe that sweet shit worked for him, but there Dorothy was, lapping it up like a puppy begging for scraps. “Trust me, beautiful, this isn’t the first time we’ve had someone banged up in here. You aren’t the worst, and you won’t be the last.”

Dorothy tilted her cheek into his hand, then realizing what she was doing, slapped it away. “Let’s get it over with.”

Deep down, a warm feeling of satisfaction bloomed in my stomach. Good girl.

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