Page 101 of Slayin Villain
Ember
The slap of Cece’s screen door closing behind me sounded too final.
I stood there for a second on the edge of her living room, hugging my arms around my ribs like it might hold me together.Her place smelled like lavender and warm sugar cookies.A lie.A kindness.It had no right to be so safe when I felt like I’d been cracked open and dumped onto asphalt.
Cece was in the kitchen, humming some tune under her breath like she hadn’t just helped Mary patch up my busted lip and hand me an ice pack for my cheek.
She was blind, but she saw everything.
Irish appeared a second later, like a ghost in black leather and steel.He leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, eyes sharp.
“You want coffee, sugar?”Cece called.
“Sure,” I croaked, voice shredded.
Irish’s gaze didn’t move.“Kingpin’s on his way.”
I sank onto the floral couch, the ice pack balanced on my cheek now half-melted.“Of course he is.”
“You gonna tell him what happened?”
“I already did,” I said.“To Cece.To Eve.I’ll tell him, too.”
Cece brought me the mug like she could feel my hands trembling.I took it with a muttered thank you and tried not to spill anything.
The front door opened.Boots on hardwood.
Kingpin.
He filled a room without trying.Thick-shouldered, covered in black ink, and shiny jewelry, more dangerous in silence than most men were with fists.His lined eyes landed on me and narrowed.
“You look like hell.”
“Thanks,” I muttered.
“You should see the other guy,” Irish said dryly.
“Did,” Kingpin replied.“Rome’s hanging in the barn until we figure this shit out.”
He meant that literally.My stomach twisted.
Cece left the room like she could read his mind.
I stood.Didn’t trust myself to stay seated for this.
“I messaged Villain,” I said.“I was gonna leave.Just… say goodbye.Get it over with.But Rome saw the messages.Took my phone.Got me in the van before I could scream.”
A vein in Kingpin’s temple throbbed.
“He said if I left him, I didn’t deserve to be free.Said he’d make sure no club would ever protect me.”
Irish stepped closer.“He ever touch you before tonight?Beat you?”
Touching my bruised cheek, I hesitated.“Not like this.Just yelling.Possessive.But I thought…” I shook my head.“I was wrong.”
“Damn right, you were,” Kingpin growled.
He paced a tight circle, stroking his beard.
