Page 170 of Darling Psycho

“True. We need to take him to a hospital.”

“I have it in hand, darling, don’t fret.”

“Men and their big stubborn egos. Don’t die in this car.”

Relief wasn’t the word for what he felt right now.

He was still in killer mode.

Being Angela’s old man, he should have protected her from the world, and he’d failed. Grinding his back teeth, he stroked her outer thigh and inhaled.

“You can come to our cabin when you’re not bleeding.” He caught her telling Jay. Did she glance at him for permission? Fuck that; she’d walk all over him whatever he said, so he said nothing.

He had his angel back, that’s all he could think about.

“But only when you stop lusting for this big guy.”

Preacher and Snake snickered.

So did Jay. “I’ll do my best.”

“He’s not all that, you know? He’s always grumpy. And get this, he doesn’t like music. Who doesn’t like music? It’s unnatural, but I’ve been trying to bring him around, starting with the classics. He grumbles less when I play Queen.” Her nose met the side of his face, and she nuzzled him.

His angel was a creature who enjoyed nuzzling, and it was something he relied on now. Feeling her skin on his, their connection was thriving again.

Lost in her scent, so fucking sweet and his, he nearly missed the singing coming from the front of the seven-seater blacked-out vehicle they’d piled into.

Snake started with Bohemian Rhapsody, and then Angela started laughing and joined in. It was like listening to cats being born, but his mouth twitched at the sides, watching her face.

She was alive.

She was coping.

His woman was taken only two hours ago, and now she was belting out a song with his boys.

Fucking surreal.

He knew what was happening, and he squeezed her thigh.

She was hopped up with adrenaline.

And sure enough, after the impromptu karaoke session, her laugh tapered off, and Angela’s breathing increased. Finally, her arms around his neck tightened, and that’s when the shakes set in.

“I-I-I don’t-don’t k-k-k-know what’s wrong with me. C-c-cold suddenly.” Her teeth clashed together like a set of drums. Lawless pulled open both sides of his black coat and wrapped it around her, feeling her burrowing.

“Your adrenaline is crashing,” he explained. “We’ll be home soon.”

“Grumpy.” her face in his chest.

“I’m here, angel. I’ve got you.”

All he could do was hold her tightly while she was racked with trembling. Then, soothing a hand down her back, warming her up, he put his mouth to her ear and murmured in Italian how she liked.

She calmed and breathed into his neck.

Moments later, he caught Jay asking Preacher to pull over. Out of the window, he noticed a Mercedes waiting, and Marco and another man rushed out of the car. “This is where I leave you,” Jay said. He didn’t look at Lawless, but his eyes landed on Angela curled into his chest. “I hope she’ll be okay. Take care of her.”

He slid out of the car, his shirt crimson, now, and it was the first time Lawless had seen Jay’s step stagger. Marco and a bodyguard caught him, and the group bundled him into the car to go to the hospital, he supposed.

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