What the hell is Darius doing here? Why, after all this time, did he show up today of all days?
“Stop.” My shouts are weak whispers, so I try again.
I suck in a lungful of air and do my best to make my voice heard.
“Stop. Stop. Stop!” Each one is slightly louder than the last. “You’re going to kill him. Stop!”
This time Wilson is the one crumbling to the ground as the dark figure takes a solid step back. His broad shoulders rising and falling with heavy breaths. His eyes, dark and intense, burn into me, conveying nothing but rage as he spins and unleashes a final, brutal kick that knocks Wilson over.
“You had better count your lucky stars, you piece of horseshit, that she begged for your mercy.” Darius Falcon fumes as he points a finger down at Wilson’s crumbled body. “If you so much as lay a finger on her again, I will kill you.”
Despite the fact he just got his arse handed to him, Wilson groans and defies the looming figure. “Are you threatening me?”
“No. I don’t make threats.” Kneeling next to Wilson, Darius pulls out a dark handkerchief and wipes the blood off his fist. “That’s a fucking promise. One you would be wise to heed unless you want to test me.”
Standing to his full height, he glares down at his victim with a warning I’m fairly sure he’ll follow through on. “Now get the fuck out of here before I forget the lady’s pleas and finish the job.”
He gives a quick nod to the figures obscured in the shadows behind him. With practiced efficiency, two men help Wilson to his feet. The urgent whispers of the observing students are a stark contrast to the men’s silent, purposeful movements as they lead him away.
Breathless, I fight to gather enough strength to rise. But before I can, his shadow engulfs me. He bends, scoops me into his arms. In one motion, I’m cradled against the solid wall of his chest.
His voice rumbles deep.Dark. Dangerous. “Fucking hell. I should have killed him. You should’ve let me kill him.”
I sag into him, my cheek pressing against hard muscle, a welcome support. “What are you doing here?”
When he shifts to bring me closer, I inhale. Damn, he smells nice.
“I’m here to make sure you’re safe.”
“I don’t need your kind of help.” Tilting my head back, I glare up at him, reminding him of how he left me. “You kissed me and then you ran like a chickenshit. Go back to wherever you were hiding. Leave me alone.”
He strides forward, unmoved, making me add more to make a point. “I still don’t like you, even after such a mind-boggling kiss.”
Darius chuckles, the sound low and rich, his chest vibrating beneath my cheek. “Too bad. I’m here. Deal with it.”
Sighing, I settle in more, letting his familiar scent comfort me. “Only until I can walk again. Then I’m sending you packing.”
Seeking refuge from my pain, I shut my eyes and let the darkness envelop me.
Chapter 5
Darius
The sight of Wilson-fucking-Culberson’s hands on Ingrid tears through me. Rage swallows everything, painting my vision red. His fate is sealed—death. Murder charges be damned. My men will bury him so deep no one will ever find him. And if they can’t, I’ll wear the cuffs. Do the time. Worth it, just to see him stop breathing.
Her voice—shredded, pleading—cuts through the storm in my head. The sound drags me out of the red haze. I stop. Reluctantly. Grant myself one last kick, sending him crashing to his knees. It’s petty, maybe, but it feels good after he had the audacity to mouth off, like I should fear him.
Make no mistake—I am most certainly threatening him. If he so much as breathes the same air as her again, I will end him.
After I scoop her off the ground and carry her to the SUV, we drive straight to the hospital. She drifts in and out of consciousness, mumbling nonsense, like she’s trying to speak through a thick fog. If I’d not known better, I’d think she’s drunk. Yet her swollen face reveals a different story.
The staff at the ER quickly jumps in to help when they see her motionless in my arms.
“What’s her name?” A nurse rushes over to take a closer look.
“Ingrid Lennox.”
Someone rolls a gurney next to me. “We need you to put her down, sir. Let us help her.”
