Page 59 of Once A Villain

Now, I’m driving, resuming the mission I postponed. Her text message arrived when I was at the Iron resupplying between missions. I was fucking furious. I told her what would happen if she fucked another man.

If I had ignored her message...Fuck. My grip on the steering wheel tightens. She would have been raped, and that motherfucker would have walked away.

A text notification pulls me from my thoughts.

Rory: I want the rest of my cars and stuff brought to the house.

She fucks astrangerthis morning, and she has the nerve to text me with demands? The fucking balls on this woman.

Me: No

My jaw is clenched so tightly it’s a miracle I haven’t cracked my fucking teeth. Why the hell did I stay? I should have taken Bradley and left.

But seeing her there, tears streaming down her face, clinging to me, tore at something inside me. That shattered woman in my arms wasn’t the Rory Valentine I thought I knew.

She was honest, raw, and vulnerable—and that’s the version of her I want—the one she hides from me, from everyone.

Two days have passed since Bradley vanished. No one has seen or heard from him, and he hasn’t attended any Sovereign meetings.

The masked man somehow made Bradley disappear. I feel conflicted about it. Bradley tried to rape me, so he deserved some punishment, but did he really deserve to die?

The masked man doesn’t understand the Sovereign or their power. Bradley was an asshole, but he was also a Sovereign with connections. I can’t reveal the truth since my oath prevents me from sharing about their existence. I can only hope the masked man knows what he’s doing.

I don’t even know how he got my number. What client told him about me. Now, he knows my real name and where I work—something I’ve never shared with any client. I trusted him, though. Maybe it was the way he held me, the tenderness in his touch after being so rough and brutal. He made me feel safe, protected. I can’t stop thinking about him. It’s driving me crazy. I need to see him again. I need to know his name.

Dom runs us through rehearsal. We’ve been going at it all day. Every muscle in my body screams in exhaustion.

“You have two days off. Be back here ready to work,” Dom shouts to the group. As I head to my dressing room, Lana follows, flopping onto the leather couch while I sit at the vanity.

“Kyla messaged us. She’s going to Jamie’s party tonight and wants us there too.”

“I don’t know,” I say, wiping off my makeup. “I’m not really up for a party right now.”

“Come on,” she pleads. “We haven’t been out in a while, and Jamie’s parties are always fun.”

“Fine,” I sigh. The last thing I want is to return home and dodge Griffen. I haven’t spoken to him since he followed me to my car, and I have no intention of ever talking to him again. “I’ll drive. Do you have something I can wear? I didn’t bring anything.”

“Yes,” she squeals, texting Kyla. After a quick shower, I do my makeup and hair. Lana hands me a short pink sundress.

We hop into my G-Wagon and drive to Jamie’s party. The penthouse is packed, and the music is blasting. We weave through the crowd to the bar. Grabbing a bottle of vodka, I pour a few shots. Lana downs one, her face grimacing. I pour a couple more, and we knock them back.

The alcohol burns but offers a welcome distraction. I scan the crowd, searching for Kyla. The warmth spreads through my body, and my mind starts to relax. This is exactly what I needed.

We move to the dance floor. The crowd pulses, bodies moving in sync with the thumping beat.

I’ve lost count of how many drinks I’ve had, but I don’t care. Finally, I spot Kyla in the corner on some guy’s lap. I stumble over to her, and she looks up at me, a lazy smile spreading across her face.

“Hey girl,” she slurs. “I’m so glad you came.”

“Me too,” I yell over the music. My eyes dart to the man she’s sitting on, and my mood immediately sours.

It’s Griffen. He’s lounging in a large armchair, a half-empty glass in his hand, and Kyla is grinding against him. The look on his face is dark, and he’s clearly enjoying the attention. I turn away, heading back to the bar.

Grabbing another shot, I swallow it, the alcohol burning my throat.

“Fancy seeing you here, doll.” I turn around to see Griffen standing there with a cocky smirk. “Having fun?”

“I was. Until you showed up.”

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