Page 61 of Sin Like the Devil

His narrowed eyes fill with discontent. “You little…”

Drawing his baton from the belt around his waist, he raises it high. I try to move to protect myself from the blow, but sandwiched between the tight press of patients, I’m too late to avoid it swinging towards me.

“Rip!” Noah bellows.

Pain blooms in my abdomen from the hard strike. I double over, coughing and wheezing as I fight to avoid hurling. I feel an arm wrap around me as I blink aside tears. I won’t give him the satisfaction.

“That fucking hurt,” I grit out.

“Now, now.” Elon’s smarmy voice nears. “What’s going on here?”

With my head lowered, I can see his shining black boots approaching our huddle. He easily parts the crowd around us before stopping next to his dickhead colleague.

“Nothing to worry about,” Kieran responds.

“Then let’s not make a scene.”

“But sir, she?—”

“Move along, everyone,” Elon commands. “Nothing to see here.”

Surrounding patients begin to shuffle away, resuming their trudge into the cafeteria. I hear Elon move closer, his knees bending so he can lower himself to my level.

“When will you learn to keep that loud mouth of yours shut?” he hisses.

“Fuck off,” I croak.

“Get your ass inside, Ripley. My patience for you is wearing very thin.”

Returning to his full height, I hear Elon clap his pal on the shoulder before he saunters away. Kieran reluctantly follows him, still complaining to himself about tossing our asses in solitary.

“Jesus Christ,” Noah grunts. “They’ve lost their minds.”

“Can you stand?” Rae touches my shoulder.

Nodding, I straighten my spine, despite the fierce agony curling around my midsection. Rae backs off at my cursing, giving me some space to breathe.

My eyes catch a pair of seafoam orbs amidst the crowd. Lennox isn’t even fighting to hold back his grin. He shifts to murmur something in Xander’s ear, the pair of them watching me struggle. Raine is nowhere in sight.

Teeth bared, I flip them off.

Xander slips back into the crowd with his buddy. I’ve caught him silently following me several times recently, never once saying a word, but keeping me within his sights at all times. Stalking. Hunting. Studying.

I’d very much like to take that baton from Kieran and shove it up Xander’s asshole. Perhaps he’d learn then that I’m not some scientific curiosity for him to tear apart. I don’t even want to consider what he’s planning.

“Come on.” Rae grips my elbow. “Let’s go before we get in more trouble.”

“Yeah.”

“Um, Rip?” A rush of breath shoots from between her lips. “Thanks for sticking up for me.”

I study her tear-streaked cheeks and glassy, kohl-lined eyes. Emotion claws at my throat. Thick. Cloying. A bittersweet concoction that I usually shove down as deep as possible when I fulfil her regular orders.

“You deserve better, Rae.”

“Than what?”

The backs of my eyes burn. “Than any of this.”

---