Page 62 of Tainted Truth

A laugh reverberates above me through the room.

Laying there, I just take it. I listen to every command and nod my head when told to do so. Silent tears track down my face, enraging Anthony further.

I have no power here. No control. There’s nothing I can do but lay here while the man I once loved chips away pieces of my soul.

Each motion in and out breaks the purity of the love I thought we had.

If I lie here and just take it, maybe he’ll let me go. Maybe this will be it, and I can forget tonight ever happened.

When Anthony is done, Pierce goes to take up his spot.

No no no no no. I can’t do this again. No. Please no.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Anthony shoves Pierce away from my limp body.

Pierce lifts his hands in a placating gesture. “Sharing in the spoils.”

“She’s mine! Back off! If you want to fuck something, use your hand or go help break in our newest shipment.”

Pierce’s face turns red with fury as he stares down Anthony. When his anger turns to me, I attempt to cover up my ripped clothing. He gives me a wink and leaves.

Anthony lifts me and tosses me on to the floor. My head ricochets against the tile. The nausea in my stomach finally comes up and coats the floor. I’m unable to move with all the aches and pains screaming throughout my body.

“Don’t bother coming up to our bed. You can sleep here on the cold floor and think about what you did. I don’t want to punish you, but flowers have to learn their place.”

CHAPTER 24

SPENCER

My muscles involuntarily shake, and my cheeks are damp with tears. Zane is kneeling next to me, stroking my hair and whispering soothing words. Rio is holding one of my hands in both of his.

Asher is staring at me, and the look on his face promises death. The case file in front of him has taken the brunt of his anger—it’s clutched in both of his hands and wrinkled to hell.

“I’ll kill him,” Asher snarls.

I shake my head violently. “You can’t go near him. You can’t. And I don’t think you should say that in a federal building, especially when you’re a federal employee.”

“Angel, none of us will lose sleep when we kill that motherfucker.”

The sound of my pulse reverberates in my ears. “When?! You said when!”

Rio’s cheeks flame. “Yeah, Mama. When. That man’s life ended when he laid his hands on you.”

I throw my hands up in frustration, even though their show of protection makes me feel needy. “That was before we met!”

When did I become a woman who could be led around by her vagina?

“Then he’s been a dead man walking for a long time.” An air of warning fills the room.

My face turns into an effigy of infuriation. “You can’t just go around killing people! Just because I didn’t walk out the door doesn’t mean that I’m okay with that!”

Asher places his hands on the table and stands, forcing me to strain my neck so I can stare him down. My eyes wander his solid frame as he rolls up his sleeves. “You think I care about the people we’ve killed? You think I’ve lost sleep when I imagine how the life left their eyes? Think again, Princess. We kill those who don’t deserve to breathe. I’ll never apologize for killing my first supervisor when I found out what he did to the female agents during their ‘interviews.’ Or how I strung up the team lead who liked to take the child abuse cases just so he could traumatize those kids further because ‘the scared don’t talk.’”

I cover my ears. “Stop!”

“Ash.” Zane cautions Asher with a hand in the air.

“What? Can’t handle the truth and how tainted it is? Don’t like that the world isn’t full of fucking sunshine and rainbows?”

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