Page 2 of Kinks of a Billionaire
“Sailor is at George Washington University Hospital with Anya.”
Regret washed over me. Yet another reason why I shouldn’t have been at this stupid party.
“I promised I’d be with her,” I rasped.
“You will. She’ll likely be in labor for a while. You know Byron—he probably wants to ensure Anya has everything she needs while in the hospital.” Silence followed as shudders rolled down my spine. I tried to center myself, peering around and working on spotting something I could see, hear, or smell. I noted the dusk grays were quickly turning into twilight darks. The damp leaves under my feet felt cold and rough. “I promise you, Willow,” Royce said, “you won’t miss it.”
I let out a long breath. Royce had never let me down before. One thing that all of Aurora’s brothers had in common was that they never broke their promises. Suddenly, fatigue came over me and I walked back over to the curb and sat, hugging my small purse to my chest.
“Thanks for coming for me,” I breathed.
“So, who’s this boy?”
“Hudson.” I’d hate that name forever. “He’s an idiot.”
A bright beam of headlights appeared in the distance and I rushed to my feet, my heart tripping in hope. A sleek black Bugatti came to a screeching stop in front of me, the fumes from his engine dissipating as the wind carried them over the hill.
Royce jumped out of the still-running car, wearing his black leather jacket. I slumped with relief. Royce was a genetically engineered tank stuffed inside a designer suit—or a leather jacket, it depended on the situation. Today he’d opted for the latter—the choice I secretly loved more than his designer suits.
My relief was short-lived. He took one look at me and narrowed his eyes, and I could see enough from the glow of his headlights to know they darkened in warning.
He was enraged, and the force of his fury was so palpable I could taste it in the air.
“I’m okay,” I said through the gravel in my throat, wrapping my arms around my torso.
With a clenched jaw, he came around the car and slid his jacket off.
“Here, put this on.” When I didn’t move, he hooked the heavy leather onto my shoulders and wrapped it tight. He opened the passenger door. “Stay in the car, I’ll be right back.”
He gently nudged me into the seat, then slammed the door.
A frustrated noise left me and I reached for the door handle, opening it. “Royce, what are you doing?”
He didn’t even slow his stride. “Hudson!” he roared as he approached the manor, his voice echoing with the thunder rumbling through the sky. “Get your ass out here or I’m going to blow this fucking house to ashes.”
My stomach dropped and I sprung out of the car.
“Royce,” I called out, running after him.
The front door opened and Hudson appeared with a few of his friends at his side. He always felt braver with his buffsidekicks. I barely had time to blink before Royce punched Hudson, sending him falling onto the marble floor of his foyer.
“Holy shit,” I whispered, clutching his jacket. I always knew Royce was protective, but it had always been directed toward his sister—never at me. And right now, he was acting like he was about to go on a murderous rampage.
Hudson’s largest friend came after Royce, but before he could land a hit, Royce shoved him to the floor like he weighed nothing. Eyes on the whimpering guy, Royce dropped down to straddle him, unleashing punch after punch. More of the party trickled out from various rooms and corridors to witness the savagery.
Just as a few more guys were about to attack Royce, I screamed, “Behind you!” and Royce pulled out a gun and pointed it at them. “Oh my G-God.”
Using both my hands to grab Royce by his bicep, I attempted to pull him up off the nearly unconscious guy. “He’s not worth it. Let’s just go.”
Instead, he landed another blow to the man while keeping his gun pointed at Hudson and his buddy.
“We’re not done. These fuckers are still breathing.” Royce sounded unrepentant. I continued yanking his arm until he finally let me drag him away, his breathing hard and his eyes burning. “You see this woman?” he roared to the entire audience. “She’s under my protection. Nobody hurts her. You lay a finger on her without her consent and you’re dead. I will end you. Do you understand?”
And for the remainder of my college years, not a single boy on campus dared to touch me.
Royce
After our detour to the hospital, I brought Willow back to my penthouse.
