Page 40 of Dragon Flames
A scowl darkened Elias’s face. “None of the families reported their women missing. Gresky has been on our radar, but we were forced to wait until we had enough proof to warrant an investigation. It’s the same for a dozen other powerful men. Unfortunately, being powerful is not a crime.”
Though he might be right, it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
He strides toward me, his broad shoulders blocking out the rest of the room as he leans down and kisses my forehead. “Go home. We’ll take care of everything, I promise. They will never hurt you or any other woman again.”
I don’t trust easily anymore, but the conviction in his eyes, his thirst for justice, convinces me of his honor. He will do whatever it takes to dismantle the auctions. He studies my face, seemingly satisfied at whatever he sees. He kisses me one more time, then walks away. Preston gives my forehead a quick kiss and follows.
Leaving me alone with Darius.
Before I can even open my mouth to question him, he sweeps me up in his arms, a growl rumbling his chest as he takes in every bruise, every cut. Feeling bold, I reach out and pat his chest. “I’m fine. Just a tiny scuffle. If you hadn’t locked me in a room like a child, I probably would’ve just kicked their asses and stayed home.”
“Excuse me?” He stops short, his arms tightening around me like a vice. “You allowed yourself to be taken?”
Steam practically rises from him, and I realize I might have made a slight tactical error.
Oops!
Chapter Fourteen
FELICIA
Coming home to a roomful of blood and bodies doesn’t go over well. Darius goes all caveman, and I scurry to my room to avoid his wrath, hearing him swearing and stomping around after I flee. When I hear flames crackling in the distance, I know he’s getting rid of the bodies.
It might be fucked-up, but my heart melts that he is willing to clean up my mess.
I strip out of the skimpy clothes with a grimace of distaste, tossing them in the trash.
The last thing I expect is for the door to slam open behind me with a bang.
I jump and whirl, then blink when I see Darius standing in the doorway, his chest heaving. His eyes drop to my bare body, and he scans me from head to toe, his eyes heating, a growl rumbling from him as he stalks into my room.
I’m suddenly conscious of being very naked.
I open my mouth but don’t have time to speak before he closes the distance between us and…pounces. There’s no other word to describe the way he’s across the room one second and directly in front of me the next.
My heart leaps in my chest, and I wish I could say it is in fear. I cross my arms and glare up at him. “I’m still mad at you.”
“And I think I’m in love with you,” he murmurs almost distractedly.
I nearly swallow my tongue at his husky tone, a bit dazed by his declaration, and hope threatens to strangle me. I try to tamp down my emotions, but they refuse to be ignored. I must have heard wrong, my ears still ringing from battle. “What?”
When I was young and foolish, I lived to hear those words. To my family, I was a commodity, a responsibility they couldn’t wait to cash out. I dreamed of a mate who would love and cherish me, but that dream had turned to ash the moment Rupert touched me. After being tossed in prison, I prayed to be rescued by a knight in shining armor, but weekly beatings finally crushed that last, tiny ray of hope.
I’m no longer that stupid girl, but deep in my heart, I still crave the fairy tale.
To be wanted.
Cherished.
Loved.
“You lie,” I accuse him, not waiting for him to respond. Because, if I allow myself to believe him and it turns out that he doesn’t really mean it, I’m very much afraid I would lose the last piece of my soul and become the monster everyone called me.
“Never.” His hand settles around my throat, tightening just enough to make his point, his face hardening. “I will never lie to you.”
Crippling pain burns through my chest, robbing me of breath. “Don’t.”
“Don’t what?” His hand slides down, pausing to note every injury no matter how slight, anger darkening his eyes until shadows move in them.
