Page 38 of King of Deception

She shakes her head and that’s when the tears start to fall. “He was angry and he grabbed me.”

I wrap my arms around her, pulling her into my chest. That fucker is going to pay. And I mean hard.

I feel it deep in my bones. No one touches her. No one hurts her. My teeth are grinding together

Not even Mason.

Whatever plan he’s got for her, I was already going to fuck it up. But now… I’m fucking it up because I’m going to protect Bella.

I don’t know what it means for my family or hers, but everything else fades away. They don’t matter. Not like she does.

I know I’m losing my grip. If my family doesn’t kill me, hers definitely will. But I’m not sure I care. What matters is keeping her from harm.

“Sweetheart,” I whisper close to her ear. “If he shows up here again, you don’t let him in. You hear me?”

“Yes.”

“You call me. Or you call Luke. You wait for one of us to come protect you.”

“You… you’d do that? But…” I know what she’s thinking. That me confronting Preston would mean she was outed. It would serve my agenda.

“Call Luke, Leo, or Roman if you’re worried about your brothers finding out about me. But just don’t let him in your apartment.”

She nods against my chest, and I reach between us, grabbing the sweatshirt and tossing it to the floor.

Then I hook the waistband of her sweatpants and pull them down over her hips. Lifting her, I carry her into the walk-in shower, turning on the hot water before I shuck off my own briefs.

Grabbing the soap, I start washing her, my hands gently gliding over her skin. I’d like to stay here all day, but it’s time I made some new plans.

Because the one I had… it isn’t working.

I went and I climbed in bed with the enemy. And I plan on staying there for a while yet, anyway.

Bella is quiet, her body soft as I turn her and wash her from head to toe. With her back to me, I pull her against my chest and kiss her neck. “I promise you that I will protect you. I’m not letting anyone hurt you.”

She shakes her head. “Mason tied me to Preston. Luke hitched me to you. I’m in the middle of the war and I think I’m going to be ripped apart.”

My eyes close. “No.”

Despite the hot water, I feel her shiver. I hold her close, promises dancing on my tongue. I don’t say them.

Not yet.

I need to think this through, and I need to plan.

Or maybe I don’t. Maybe the answer has always been very simple.

It’s time I talked to my brothers.

I don’t rush out of the shower or Bella’s apartment, though. I spend the next hour keeping Bella in my arms. I need her to trust me.

I’m not sure what’s coming next, because she’s right. We’re in the middle of a war. But I know I’ve got the strength and cunning to see her through.

If she’ll let me…

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Arabella

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