Page 63 of Christmas Mafia Prince
He is mine.
My protector.
My man.
My husb—
“They aren’t even married!”
Every single person in the room turns their head toward the door like a colony of penguins shocked by the presence of a human in snow camo. I can’t tell who it is at first, but Karl Van der Horn comes into view, standing at the feet of my bed as he glares Damen’s way.
“Son?”
My man’s chest sinks under the weight of my head. “Fine. We are not.Yet.”
The world buzzes as Damen leans over me, staring into my eyes while he takes the hand I wear my rings on. “Will you marry me? For real this time?”
I glance at Karl’s frown first, but then I have eyes only for Damen. “Yes. Of course I will.” For a moment I even forget about the pain still throbbing in my shoulder. It’s more distant by the second. If I was injected with Damen’s love, I’d probably not feel a thing.
Alexandra, whose face I can finally see as she approaches, throws her hands in the air. “Well, that’s just bullshit! And why is he injured? Did he play with weapons he doesn’t understand?” she asks, gesturing my way with the hand still holding the sheet of paper that appears so important to everyone.
“Father?” The new voice causes a sudden silence, and I blink before turning my head toward the door, where Titus stands, also in his camo.
I fall to my back then Damen walks off, no longer supporting my seated position, but through the soft blur of my vision, I see him clashing with his brother so ferociously Alexandra winces at my side.
The two men tumble against the wall, then roll down, and I find myself smiling when my Damen climbs on top and hits Titus as if he were tenderizing meat for schnitzels. “You fucking traitor! I’ll kill you!”
Titus strikes Damen’s face, his eyes unnaturally wide, as if he’s a ghoul whose lids are atrophying. “What for? You’re not married! He’s not family! You lied to hunt with us!” He can barely get that out before Damen punches him right under the ribs.
“What is this about?” Karl yells as I sit up with a groan to get a better look at Titus getting what he deserves.
“He sent one of the prisoners after me,” I say. “Wanted me dead.”
Damen’s mother covers her lips. “Titus, that is not how I raised you!”
Yeah, right.
Damen keeps raining punches down on Titus, and while he is technically not in the right here, not a single person moves to intervene, all listening to the steady rhythm of slam-and-gasp. Heat pinches my cheeks as I watch this display of violence. Maybe it’s time to accept that dangerous men are my weakness, and I’m lucky to have fallen for the right one.
I can’t say I’m sorry for Titus when he spits out a tooth.
It’s only when Damen squeezes Titus’s neck and stretches his back, about to choke him that a tall figure appears at their side.
“No, please, he’s your brother!” Bree cries from the door, her perfect face wet with tears.
I look up at her with a snarl. Crocodile fucking tears. “You sent me to the greenhouse so I was easy to hunt down.”
“You did… what?” Alexandra and Victor ask almost in perfect sync. Huh, maybe they really are a good match?
Bree steps closer with her hands up, aware everyone is watching her. “I did what Titus told me to, but he didn’t tell me why! He must have just gotten too wrapped up in the hunt. Please, Damen, I beg you. We have kids.”
“Well, he should have thought about it before ordering a hit on my husband!”
I look around the family members gathered with a sick feeling twisting my stomach. If Damen kills Titus today, in front of everyone, will he become a pariah?
I have enough clarity to look at Titus’s bloodied mess of a face. “Why? Why do you hate me so much?”
Reluctantly, Damen pulls his hands off Titus’s neck so the bastard can speak.
