Page 45 of Lethal Vows

It’s not so much that Ihaveto look back, but I can sense Crue following me through the crowd. And the same bodyguard from earlier flanks me.

As we reach the cool air outside, I turn on Crue. “Also, I don’t like having bodyguards. I can protect myself.”

“By kicking your attacker in the balls?”

I smile. “It’s effective, isn’t it?”

“Crue.” Someone says his name, and without thinking, I turn in the direction the voice comes from. I watch in shocked horror as a man raises a gun. He’s dressed in holey clothes and looks like he hasn’t showered in days. “You deserve this and so much more.”

The loud bang echoes through the night. My first thought is that he hit Crue, but Crue’s hand touches my back. Don’t ask me how I know it’s him, I just do. Opening my eyes, I see the man who had the gun is now on the ground, blood pooling around him as he bleeds on the cold concrete.

“I’ll take her home.” I look up at one of Crue’s men—the same bodyguard I’d announced I didn’t need only thirty seconds ago. He puts his gun away, in no way affected by killing this man.

“Straight back to her place. Ensure she gets inside and stand at her door until further notice.” The man nods his head as if it’s an everyday order. Maybe it is for him because he doesn’t even seem to blink or care that he just got told what to do.

I turn to face Crue.

I’m so shocked by how quickly everything is happening, and then he reaches for my face. “Goodnight, princess.” He leans in and kisses the corner of my mouth before he pulls away and is gone.

“Please, miss, let’s get you home,” the bodyguard encourages.

What. The actual. Fuck?

CHAPTER23

Rya

When I get home, I fight with the chain’s little clasp around my ankle as if the thing is scorching my skin. My long nails do nothing to help pry it off. When I finally get the damn thing loose, I throw it on top of the black file on my table and head straight for the shower. The bodyguard stands outside my door, and I don’t care to invite him in. I still stand by the opinion that I don’t need a bodyguard, but what have I gotten myself into?

I struggle with the zipper at the back of my dress, growing more frustrated and impatient. “Fuck!” I yell into the empty room until I can finally unzip the dress. I throw it on the bed alongside my panties and bra. “I have to stop wearing color,” I huff out as if that’s why all this is happening.

I turn the shower to scorching, then dip under it, relieved by its burn and punishment. I press my hands to the shower wall as I bow my head, the water trailing down my back.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

Crue is bad. Forbidden.

He is chaos. Power.

And the devil himself reincarnated.

But most importantly, he is everything I had purposefully run away from.Hewas the reason why I’d left my old life.

And here I am toying with the notion because of what…

Good sex?

A thrill?

A challenge?

I know none of those things are accurate.

What this is between Crue and me goes beyond the boundaries of those things. Worse than that, it’s something I can’t put into words because I’m not going to fall for this game.

Icannotbe with Crue.

And I sure as hell willnotunder any circumstances marry him.

---