Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 140780 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 563(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140780 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 563(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Chapter Two
MY HEART WILTED AS HE MADE EVERYTHING a million times worse by laughing. Laughing as if he wanted them to come. Laughing as if he wanted to die out here, in the rain, in pain...after kissing me so desperately.
I squeaked as he wrapped a tight arm around my waist, just as the four men surrounded us in a flurry of snarling machines. “Stay close and ready.” In the same breath, he grinned. “Gentlemen.”
The guards secured their bikes and swung their legs off. Reaching into their holsters, they aimed their pistols at...me.
I gulped as four guns locked onto my forehead.
“Step aside, Mr. Ashfall. We’re aware it’s blood-harvesting day and you’re weaker than usual. We could see your fight, but the rain shorted out the audio. We don’t know why she’s chosen to hurt you after being by your side for so long, but...we’ll deal with her for you.”
Deal with me?
My gaze dropped to the forgotten knife still in my shaking fingers.
Oh!
I jolted.
I went to throw it away, but Lucien grabbed my hand, squeezing tight. “You drop that, and you’re dead. They’ll fire before I can stop them.”
I gasped as his hand shook around mine, his eyes locked on the guards. “Put your guns down. That’s an order.”
“Step away, sir.” The closest one moved forward, finger on the trigger. “She’s armed and threatening your life.”
“She’s not threatening my life,” Lucien drawled, bored and arrogant—completely different from the wiry fury of before. “I was the one who gave her the knife. Calm down.”
“You were the one...?” The guard glowered at him. “Why would you...?”
“Because as much as I’m tempted to kill her—as much as I’m struggling not to end her for what she’s done, I’m doing my best to restrain myself.”
Wait...what?
“Why would you restrain yourself?” The guard frowned. “You’ve never stopped yourself before. The girls are just ants for your entertainment and pleasure. To bed and discard as you see fit.”
Great, I was no longer a rat but an ant.
Not exactly an improvement.
“I know.” Lucien tightened his arm around me until I tripped against him. “But this one’s different.”
Different.
My stupid heart reacted, not able to tell the truth from a lie anymore.
I gulped as he nuzzled my neck, murmuring loud enough for the guards to hear, “The moment we met, I knew she’d ruin me. And...I didn’t really care. I certainly wasn’t able to stop myself.”
My pulse skyrocketed.
What was he doing?
What is he saying?!
A couple of the guards glowered. “Regardless, step aside and we’ll remove her for you. Our incinerator has been idle the past few days.” Rain continued to fall, making them glance at the sky with impatience to get back inside.
Lucien huffed and rested his forehead on my temple. Such an intimate position yet it felt so threatening. “I’m quite capable of killing her myself, thanks.” His eyebrows drew together, tickling me. “Don’t you want to know why I haven’t?”
A dark-haired one shrugged. “Look, Mr. Ashfall. We’re all getting wet. Can we wrap it up so we can get dry?” He arched his chin at me. “Whatever you’re doing, it’s not our place to ask questions. This is your turf. Your rules. But she’s holding a knife. You’re our top priority. Allow us to clean up your mess and—”
“My mess?” Lucien snapped, swooping to his full height and glaring at them. “You’re calling the fact that I finally succumbed a mess?”
The guards shared a look, as confused as me. Before they could respond, Lucien added, “I gave her the knife, so I didn’t snap and kill her. I’m protecting her from you, so you don’t get trigger happy.”
“But you’ve never cared before—”
“You’re right. I haven’t. But she’s my ticket out of here. And if you destroy her before I get to use her—if you kill her the moment I let her go—Marcus will be extremely pissed.”
The nearest guard drew himself up. “Mr. Ward would be angry? Why?” He frowned and shook his head. “I...don’t understand.”
My head throbbed, trying to follow along with this disjointed script Lucien hadn’t allowed me to audition for. Bitterness flooded my tongue as he slipped into the man he’d been when we first met: cold and heartless and savage.
His arm tightened like a cobra, binding me to him as if he truly did hate me. As if every word out of his mouth was real. “I vowed I’d never lose control and touch one of Marcus’s little rats, but...” He shrugged and shot me a careless smile before locking gazes with the guards again. “This one was too tempting. I touched her. Rather a lot, actually.”
Wait...
I choked.
I coughed.
I threw him a look that he completely ignored.
Lucien snaked his arm tighter around me, slipping beneath my rucksack to splay his hand directly over my lower belly. The same hand that had made me come this morning. The same hand that had clenched in agony and reached in tenderness.