Page 75 of Royally Ruined

His cohorts had died in the fire. No bodies had been reported in the news, which meant someone—I was starting to guess Horace or the Valentines—had hidden the evidence. Were Merrick and Santana rotting away in shallow graves? Part of me was glad.

The rest of me was unnerved thinking that I, too, could end up in an unmarked grave. Possibly before this night was over with.

“Costello!” Scotch shouted.

I forgot all about the men holding me down. I forgot about death, revenge, and how much peril I was in. Darien had pulled her into view from behind a pile of rotten crates. Her face was drained of all color, unsaturated from the moment she spotted me.

Darien squeezed her cheeks, saying, “Shut the hell up.” Gripping her by the back of her neck, he walked toward us, nodding my way. “What do we have here?”

“Found him trying to break in,” Horace said. “Didn’t see anyone else.”

“The lone wolf.” Snorting, Darien dug his fingers into Scotch’s jaw, turning her toward him. He was close enough to kiss her or to bite off her lips. “I told you not to bring anyone else.”

Her eyes flashed with flecks of gold. I’d seen her panic before, and I was sure her heart was going wild. “I didn’t. He wasn’t supposed to follow me.” She couldn’t move her head, so she just flicked her stare my way. “Costello, why did you have to come here?”

There was so much despair it weighed her voice down. In turn, it crushed my heart.

It was hard to speak; it came out in a half whistle. “Did you really think I’d let you get yourself killed?”

Darien rolled his eyes dramatically. “Well, this is fine. I’ve wanted to get my hands on you since you got between me and this”—he licked Scotch’s cheek, and my blood became acid—“sweet,sweetgirl at the club.”

Curling my lips back like a rabid animal, I swung forward. Romeo actually looked nervous for a second, but not Darien. “Let her go!” I demanded.

“Trying to command us,” Horace said over me. “How typical. Neither of you are walking out of here, but if you ask nicely, you can share a hole in the ground.”

“It’s kind of romantic,” Romeo teased.

“Yeah. It’s fate.” Horace dug his fingers into my scalp. “How else do you explain me finally getting the chance to do what I couldn’t years ago?” His voice dropped like a rock in a well. “You and your sister were supposed to die in that mill. The Valentines were furious at me when you both got away. My life has beenhellsince. But no more.”

He’s the one. He’s really the cop who tricked Lulabelle.This was a room full of monsters, me included. We were going to claw one another to pieces.

But I wouldn’t let Scotch go down with us.

Darien turned his back on me, bending over Scotch and half hiding her. “Check him for weapons,” he said absently.

The burned man approached me. Too roughly he patted me down, tossing my ankle knife aside. “What the hell is this?” Romeo asked after he checked my jacket. Moving away, he dropped the item into Darien’s open palm, and Darien proceeded to lift it toward the light and turn it over.

Darien’s eyes dive-bombed Scotch. In wonderment he looked at me again. I hated the sluggish smile that split his lips. “Are youkiddingme? You kept her fucking nose stud?” He hung his head, laughing viciously.

Scotch hadn’t stopped staring at me. She’d been the one to put it in my jacket forever ago, not me, but it did look like I’d been hanging on to it.

Shaking his head, Darien watched me closely. “Sentimental man. I’d have never guessed. Well, in any case, I’m glad you kept it.” He held the post of the stud straight up. “Your little piercing was partly why I was into you. I was sad to see it gone, but now ... maybe I’ll put it back in.”

She and I tensed up together. “You can’t!” she gasped. “The hole is closed up!”

Darien curled his forearm around her throat, winking. “I know. I’ll make a new one.”

Red. All I could see was red. Horace was trying to keep me still, but with the new waves of furious rage moving through me, he was grunting with effort. “Hey!” Horace shouted. “Calm the fuck down!”

“Hold him still, idiots,” Darien murmured, not a flicker of worry in his voice. His confidence knew no limits.

“I’m trying to, but he’sfucking strong!” Horace growled.

Romeo came over to help, his hands closing on the front of my shirt. He gawked at me, so much tooth and gum his lips were invisible. “When did you get so strong, kid, huh?”

Whipping my head to the side, I cracked him in the temple with the top of my head. Just like so many years ago, he released me.

Horace couldn’t handle me alone; I wrapped my legs around his knees, throwing us to the floor. Between Scotch’s peril and the fact thatthis manwas the one who’d betrayed Lula, who’d ruined my whole life, I was a mess. I’d stop for no one, except ...

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