Page 121 of Vow to Hate You

Rhyett was wrestling Percy to the floor, and the gun skidded across the cement. Percy landed a kick to the side of Rhyett’s face before scrambling away, crawling on his hands and knees. Damian halted in front of him, kicking the gun out of reach.

“Wait, we can talk about this,” Percy sputtered as he climbed to his feet.

“Talk about it?” Damian snarled, the savage edge in his voice shooting a shiver down my spine. With his good hand, he seized Percy’s shirt collar, yanking him closer. “You kidnapped my wife. Threatened her. You think there’s anything to fucking talk about?”

“I wasn’t—I wasn’t going to hurt her,” he cried, struggling in Damian’s hold. “I only wanted the money. It was Jack who made it personal.”

Damian let go of Percy, only to throw his fist into Percy’s jaw with his uninjured arm. Rhyett sat on the floor, watching with a frown as he rubbed his cheek where Percy had kicked him. My heart was still racing as I slowly crossed the room to where Damian was.

“You’re a pathetic piece of shit.” He threw another punch into Percy’s face.

“Cops are on their way,” Rhyett drawled, making no move to intervene. “Don’t get yourself arrested, Damian.”

He didn’t listen, hitting Percy a third time hard enough that he crumbled to his knees, holding his face with both hands. Before Damian could go for him again, I grabbed his hand, tugging him toward me. He met my gaze, the rage swirling in his eyes slowly fading. He was still bleeding, and I was almost positive the bullet was still in his arm, but he didn’t seem fazed by it as he looked me over.

“Are you hurt?” he asked.

I shook my head, deciding my aching ribs were not important right now. He wrapped me in a one-arm hug, squeezing me tightly as his lips brushed my forehead. Percy mumbled curses, and I turned my head to see him scurrying away. Damian kept his hold on me, apparently not caring what Percy was doing, as he began sprinting toward the elevators. One of them was open, my stomach flipping when I realized it was the one that hadn’t been working earlier.

“Wait,” I yelled, pulling away from Damian. “Don’t?—”

He fled into the elevator entrance, disappearing a moment later when he fell from view. My heart skipped when his horrified scream echoed before it was abruptly cut off. Damian stared at the open elevator as Rhyett jumped to his feet. Heslowly sauntered to the open door, halting at the edge to study the dark space.

“I don’t think he survived,” he mumbled, sliding his hands in his pockets. “There isn’t an elevator car. The door shouldn’t even have opened.”

“I’m sure the police will review the camera,” Damian said as he put pressure on his bleeding injury.

My eyebrows rose. “Camera?”

“Your dad hired my family’s company to install them,” Rhyett informed me, pointing above the elevator. “They were having issues with equipment getting stolen.”

If he hadn’t motioned to the camera, I never would have seen it since the tiny lens was right on top of the panel above the elevator door. Damian reclaimed my attention when he gently tucked my hair behind my ear. The panic in his eyes had dimmed, but he searched my face as if needing to make sure I was okay.

“Did he hurt you?” he asked roughly.

“I’m fine,” I promised as I wrapped my arms around his waist. He buried his face in the crook of my neck, inhaling deeply.

“Fuck, Talie,” he muttered, his voice muffled. “I nearly lost it when I found out where you were.”

“Help…please.”

Jack’s weak voice was barely audible, and Damian went rigid before pulling away from me. When Rhyett stared at Jack in surprise, I realized they both thought he was dead. I shifted on my heels, my feet aching. Damian strode across the room before crouching down next to Jack.

“Where is it?” Damian asked in a low voice.

“Help me,” Jack rasped between labored breaths.

“Tell me where you keep everything you’re using to blackmail my family, then I’ll call an ambulance,” Damian stated, notlooking the least bit worried Jack was dying in front of him. “Where is it, Jack?”

“On my laptop,” he choked out.

“Where is that?”

“My apartment.”

Damian stared at him a few seconds longer before reaching in his pocket, pulling out his phone. He stood back up as he talked to dispatch.

“You okay, Talie?” Rhyett asked as he stepped up beside me.

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