Page 16 of Ours

Cradling her in his arms, he tried to comfort her as his alter’s words echoed in his mind. It was glaringly obvious that he didn’t have as tight of a reign over his men as he thought he did. He didn’t know why he was so surprised, Bloodbayne loved to assert his power. This grisly scene had nothing to do with Lexi swearing her allegiance, the deformed fucker was teaching him another valuable lesson.

“She can’t do this,” he growled, watching Bloodbayne step towards Leo. “Not in her condition!”

Casually removing a switchblade from the inner pocket of his lapel, the mob boss laughed hotly at his son’s words. Moving behind the moaning man, he zeroed his icy stare on the whore.Like the little cunt could get away so easily.No,he needed more from her, and from Kade.

“Nonsense, he’s practically half dead as it is,” he replied, grabbing Leo’s matted locks and pulling his broken face upwards. “Considering all of the other tests I could have given her, you should bethankingme for only making her do this.”

Trembling in his arms, Lexi’s mind couldn’t comprehend the conversation going on around her. She refused to believe that what she was seeing was anything more than a nightmare concocted by her overactive mind. Once she woke up, everything would be back to normal. It would all be ok.

I hate to break it to you, but this isn’t a fucking dream,Nikki quipped.And if you want to live, then you had better take care of the situation. Quickly.

Shaking her head, she mentally scoffed at her alter. Took care ofwhatsituation?Killing her husband?She couldn’t kill the sweetest, most selfless man she had ever known. He was completely innocent in all of this. They were insane to think she would ever do such a deplorable act.

Annoyed by her silence, Bloodbayne stomped his foot on the stained linoleum floor. He was growing tired of repeating himself. If it weren’t for his love for his son, she would be lying on the floor with a bullet in her brain.

“Girl, did you hear me?!” he bellowed.

Snapping herself from her racing thoughts, she raised her gaze from Leo to the mobster. Giving him a scathing scowl, she narrowed her green eyes. She wished she had the power to kill with a single glance, the deformed goblin would be dead ten times over if she could.

“What?” she spat.

Using the hand holding the closed switchblade, Bloodbayne made a motion for her to come forward. “Come here and put this man out of the miseryyouhave caused,” he said, flashing his sharp teeth.“Kill him and prove to me that you belong here!”

Jerking her pregnant body, she tried to break Kade’s strong hold.Oh,she would kill someone, alright. But it wouldn’t be her husband.

“FUCK YOU!”she screamed, “I will killyoubefore I kill h—”

Lifting his right hand, Kade slapped his palm over her mouth to stop her from going any further. He hated to muzzle her, but he didn’t care for the burning anger flashing over his father’s face. She was skating onverythin ice and putting their son at risk.

“Quiet, Lexi!” he warned, his dark eyes moving to Valentina as she reached into her tailored jacket for her gun.

Squirming in his grasp, she continued to scream from behind his hand. She didn’t care that Bloodbayne couldn’t make out what she was saying, it was satisfaction enough to know that she was getting under his burned skin.

Groaning into the stale air of the room, Leo began to stir. Hearing a woman’s livid mumbles, he fought off the inky nothingness trying to consume him. Forcing open his swollen eyes, he tried in vain to center his double vision on the figures facing him.Lexi?Was she really there? Or was this just another hallucination?

“Sunshine? Is...is..is that you?”he rasped.

Stilling her thrashing body, Lexi’s eyes widened as she heard his voice. It terrified her that he was regaining consciousness. He shouldn’t be awake for what was going to happen.

“Hey, hey...it’s it’ssss ok, beautiful...I’m...I’mm gonna get us outta here, don’t worryyyy” he slurred. “I’ll ssssave you and my boyyy.”

Pushing out a dark chuckle, Bloodbayne yanked on his bloodied curls; the forcible action causing the broken man to yowl in pain. The moron was foolishly gallant, he had to give him that. It was a shame that he was too much of a cuck to save himself when he had the chance.

“Remarkable. Even in the face of certain death, this man thinks he can save you and what he believes isHISchild. Your cunt must be lined in gold to have these two men willing to risk themselves to save you and your hellspawn,” he sneered. “But to get back to your little comment...yes, you will...andyes, I can make you!”

Hearing her cue, Valentina pulled her glock from her crimson jacket. Racking the slide to ready the first bullet, the tall blonde pointed the black weapon directly at Lexi’s pronounced stomach. With her finger hovering over the trigger, she gave Kade the tiniest shrug. It gave her no satisfaction to see the fear flashing behind his eyes, but business was business. If she was given the word, she would carry out the order. Her time protecting the child was over.

“NO!” Kade yelled, his eyes frantically jumping between Valentina and Bloodbayne. “I’ll DO IT! Letmekill him!”

Shaking his scarred head, Bloodbayne clicked his tongue in annoyance against the roof of his mouth. If he allowed his son todo the deed, it would cause a rift between the pair. Although that was a delicious prospect, his heir couldn’t have any distractions during his upcoming trip to Bangkok. Besides, he needed to know if the gutter cunt was up to snuff.

“Quiet! Not another word from you!” he hissed. “Now remove your hand,son...I need to hear Lexi’s answer!”

Keeping his dark eyes on Valentina, Kade slowly slid his hand from Lexi’s mouth. He didn’t care for the tension quickly building around them. He was counting on her to do what was needed for their family. He prayed she would play along.

“You can’t kill me,” Lexi spat as soon as he removed his hand. “My baby is too valuable to you, you said so yourself!”

Wincing from her words, Kade squeezed his left arm tighter around her torso. That wasnotthe reply he was hoping for. “Lexi,stop!”he whispered.

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