Page 76 of Wretched Soul
“No. I want to… to go home.”
Toby’s followed me back to my corner of the booth. His knee touches mine. “I can get you somewhere safe, somewhere quiet. Would you like that?” His breath warms my neck and a finger traces my bare arm.
I try to stay focused. “Please. Leave me alone.”
“Look at that,” he says, examining my arm. “I’ve given you goosebumps.”
Do I tell him it’s because I’m thinking of what happened to the last man who touched me without my consent? My stomach roils. I just want to close my eyes, but I don’t dare.
I frown at Toby as I try to stay awake. I can’t remember who he is. “What am I doing here?”
“You’re my girl,” he croons.
“The fuck she is,” comes a growl from behind him.
Chapter 26
Mace
As I launch myself towards Lily’s booth, I have to remind myself that this is a public place, but there’s a guy making a move on my woman. He has Lily penned into the corner and… Fuck this. He’s stroking her arm.
Simon is close on my heels. “Stay calm, Mace,” he warns.
The best I can do is keep the gun in my waistband as I reach them. I can only see the back of the guy’s head, but my first priority is Lily. I scan her face and although the lights are dim, I’m used to reading people in the dark. I know immediately something’s wrong. She’s been crying, which is bad enough, but that’s not what alarms me most. Her eyes are unfocused, and her pupils are blown.
I know she’s been drugged even before I hear her ask, “What am I doing here?”
The shadows around me dissolve to red and the music dies. All I hear is the thundering of my heart and the voice of the man who’s going to bear the brunt of my wrath.
“You’re my girl,” he croons.
And fuck me, did he just sign his own death warrant.
“The fuck she is,” I growl.
“What the…?”
His head snaps around and his nose presses against the gun that’s back in my hand. He goes to recoil, but I grab him by the hair and haul him out of the booth. He almost drops to the floor, having lost the ability to use his legs, but I hold him up by the scalp, my gun pressed into his flabby stomach.
“The only reason you’re not dead yet is that I don’t want to ruin Lily’s new dress with your blood.”
“But I– I haven’t done anything. You– You have to believe me. I found her like that.”
I don’t have time to waste listening to his pleas, so I turn to Simon. “Is there somewhere in this dump you can take him? Somewhere secure?”
“I’ll find one,” he promises.
“Good. Get him out of my sight.”
I pass Simon our captive, and trust he knows what I’m asking for. For now, my only concern is Lily and I slide back into the booth. She’s resting the side of her head against the seat, and her eyes have closed. I cup her face gently in my hands and stroke her cheeks.
“Open your eyes, Lily. I’m here.”
Her eyelids flutter. “I’m here too.”
My neck cords. She’s completely out of it, and all I can do is pull her against my chest. Her head drops to my shoulder and as I wrap her in my arms, I have to stop myself from squeezing the breath out of her. I inhale the citrus scent of her hair as I rest my cheek on top of her head.
“I almost didn’t catch you this time, Slayer,” I whisper. “Don’t you ever pull a trick like that on me again.”
