Page 58 of Guarding The Phoenix: Vol. 1

He spat in my face. “I won’t tell you a thing, asshole.”

I wiped the spittle off my cheek.

“Too bad. I should have told you the body part I like to start with first.” And I knew it was sick and twisted, but you couldn’t be in my line of work and survive without making friends with the darkness within.

I shoved the knife into his crotch. His scream was music to my ears. Before I was done, he would beg me for death.

Chapter thirty

Bruised

Axel

Ihadneverbeenso fucking scared in my life.

Not even when we had insurgents bearing down upon our unit in Afghanistan. In my career in the Marines and the CIA, I had experienced harrowing situations where I hadn’t known at the time whether I would live to see the next sunrise.

None of it had scared me as much as Kylie’s prone form when I first entered her bedroom.

Cradling her small body against my chest, I carried her into the living room. When we reached the sofa, I sat, still holding her. Kylie nestled against my chest with tremors racking her frame. I called the doc with the CIA task force we had on standby for these types of situations.

Dr. Mike Barker answered on the first ring. “Axel, what can I help you with?”

“We need your help. We have a woman who’s been strangled and injured. She’s going to need to be examined and likely need medication for the pain. We need her looked at within the hour.”

“Got it. I’m on the move and should be there in thirty. Put an ice pack on her neck to reduce the swelling until I get there.”

“Will do. I’ll text you the address.” I couldn’t believe I didn’t think of icing her neck.

He snorted. “I’ve got it, but I understand. See you soon.”

I disconnected the call and glanced at the shivering bundle on my lap. She was wide-eyed and trembling from the shock. I ground my teeth, biting back my fury. She didn’t need to see that side of me. What I wouldn’t give to pummel that fucker into the ground for thinking he could put his hands on her.

As gently as a man like me could, I caressed her back, treating her like hand-spun glass liable to break if I held her too tightly. “Angel, I need to put you on the couch for a minute. The doctor is on his way, but we need to get ice on your neck to help with the swelling.”

She opened her mouth to speak. I put a finger over her lips. “Save your voice, Angel. Talking is likely going to hurt for a few days. Just nod if you understand.”

Kylie bit her bottom lip, trying to hide the way it trembled, and jerked her chin in the affirmative. Woman was breaking my fucking heart.

With the utmost care, I shifted her onto the cushions. Pressed a chaste kiss against her forehead. Then left her on the couch and headed into the kitchen. At least it was an open format between the living room and kitchen. That way, I could at least monitor her.

Kylie had some of those gel ice packs in the freezer. I grabbed one, then wrapped a kitchen towel around it, and then snagged a bottle of water from the fridge, before returning to her side. She might need a little something to drink. Her poor throat must be killing her.

“Here, Angel, let’s put this on your throat.” I applied the ice pack against her throat. Then brought one of her hands up to hold it steady against her neck.

Her bottom lip quivered. But she still wasn’t crying. She needed to get it out of her system, or it would eat her alive. But she was shell-shocked by the night’s turn of events.

Lifting her back onto my lap, I held her. She shook in my arms like a leaf tossed about by the wind. And I simply cradled her, comforting her as best a hard man like me could.

“Don’t worry, Angel, you’re safe.”

She turned her face against my chest. “It’s okay to be scared.”

And finally. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there. It will never happen again. From now on, one of us will always be with you.”

“How?” she croaked out, her voice raspy.

Chase strode into the room with a scowl that he smoothed out when he crouched down beside us. “Hey beautiful. How are you holding up?”

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