Page 99 of August

He brought his forehead to hers. “I love you, too. Jesus Christ, I almost lost you.”

She dragged her palm over his stubble, savoring the abrasion on her skin. “You didn’t, though.”

His hands gripped her shoulders, and he pulled back an inch. “Who hurt you?” He put his knuckle beneath her chin and smoothed a thumb along the place where she’d been hit.

She winced, and pain throbbed across her cheekbone. “Alec. The dead one in the bedroom.”

His gaze darkened. “Did they touch you? Any of them?”

“Alec, he... tried.” She swallowed down the memories, but August’s earnest stare warmed her face.

“Baby,” he said softly, pained.

She knew he needed to hear more. She had to give him that. “He didn’t get far. He ripped my clothes and—” She took in a shuddering breath and met his gaze. His green eyes swallowed her whole and filled the aching chasm in her chest.

Without even trying, August fed her strength.

“He tried to rape me.” She wouldn’t let the memories shake her. August was here now.

His jaw twitched. “What happened?”

“He was on top of me. I was fighting him. But before he could... do anything, the dog attacked him. After that, he wasn’t in good shape. Then Alvarez came. He was angry at Alec and killed him.”

“Good. And the other guy?”

She shook her head sadly. “I don’t think he wanted to do everything he did. But Alvarez owns him. He didn’t hurt me, though.”

“Alvarez didn’t try anything?”

Fresh tears rushed to her eyes, and shivers took hold of her bones. August reached into a duffel bag and pulled out a sweater. He fit the material over her head then pulled her back into his arms. “Tell me.”

She clung to his muscled side, her cheek nestled against the breadth of his hard chest. “He was going to cut out my tongue,” she whispered.

August’s body clenched. He pulled away. “What?” Incredulousness flashed in his eyes.

“That’s what he was about to do before you came in. That’s what the camera was for. He wanted to film that for you and... my family to watch.”

August’s fingers threaded through her hair and cradled her scalp. “That sonofabitch.” The curse rumbled from his throat.

Footsteps sounded on the gravel, and August turned and reached for the gun next to her.

“It’s me.” Toth approached with one hand raised. “Just wanted to see how everyone’s doing.”

“I’m okay.” Gigi forced a smile.

“I’ve got some water and food in the car.” Toth’s sympathetic gray eyes shifted from her to August. “We’ve got about five minutes tops before cops are on the scene because of the shots fired. If there’s anything you, uh, want to take care of, you need to do it now.”

August’s hand flinched on her spine. “Will you be okay for five minutes?”

She rolled in her lips and searched his face. “You don’t have to do this. I don’t want you to kill anyone because of me.”

His brow furrowed and his jaw shifted. “Babe. I’m not doing anything because of you. I’m doing it to protect you. And I always will.”

Intensity burned in his eyes, and the fear she’d had about him committing murder under duress vanished. The glaring truth was that this was who August was. Protective, fierce. Someone who didn’t do anything half-heartedly.

She nodded, and he picked up his gloves and fit them back over his hands.

Then he brushed his lips over her temple. “Five minutes,” he promised. He jogged down the alley.

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