“Why did you jump into the pool?”He changes tact.
I wonder if he’s stalling—not to draw out my fear, but for another reason entirely.Maybe he’s already sent out a signal to the Hellhounds and is just waiting for them to charge into the room and tear me apart, limb from limb.Bloodthirsty bites.Fearsome claws.
Will it be the Cyclops—one of the Hellhounds who had his eye gouged out in a fight?Or Freddy, with a blade for a finger on his right hand, after one of Castro’s men bit the original clean off?
Whoever it is, I just hope they show me some mercy for being one of their own.
“I saw her body, sir.Thought she had drowned.I just reacted.”
He glares at me and then looks at Markus.
“I called Fenrir here today because I had an assignment for him.A delicate one that would have required his… how shall we put this?His face fit the job.”He chuckles at his cleverness, but Markus shows some restraint, his face remaining impassive.“But after this little fiasco, I’ve decided that I want Fenrir Therion on my daughter’s security team.”
Silence devours the room, and I don’t know who is more shocked, me or Markus.
“I….Sir, Fenrir is a—” Markus begins but doesn’t finish.He doesn’t need to.
He was going to say that I’m a Hellhound—one of the most fearsome, grotesque people to walk this earth.We’re the ones hired to inflict pain, teach lessons, and carry out Devall’s dirty work.We’re nothing more than dogs, tethered beasts who do the monster’s bidding.
“I don’t give a fuck who he is or where he currently works,” Devall snaps.“This man thought my daughter had drowned.He was the only one who not only noticed her but did something about it.”He levels his gaze on Markus, voice like steel.“Now, if this isn’t the kind of person I need protecting my only heir, then who the fuck else is going to do it?”
Markus looks on the brink of despair but seems to remember his place and nods.“Of course, sir.I’ll add him to the team right away, sir.”
And with that, I’m ushered out of the room with both hands still attached.
Hayami’s security team.What the actual hell?
I’m supposed to protect the woman I’ve just dragged back from the brink of death—a death, I presume, she chose for herself, no matter how much she protested afterwards.
She may be beautiful, but Princess Hayami strikes me as the kind of woman who’s had everything served to her on a silver platter… and still finds it lacking.She comes across as a spoiled brat.Shewantedto die.
And I stopped her.
And just like her father, I suspect Hayami doesn’t like it when she doesn’t get what she wants.
But none of that matters now, because I’ve just been handed a pardon, and I’m not sure how I feel about it.Maybe I’ve been exonerated in Devall’s eyes, but there’s little doubt in mine: Hayami isn’t going to like the newest addition to her team.
Not one little bit.
THREE
FENRIR
PRESENT
The musicin the club sounds louder and faster, the rhythm pumping into my veins as I watch the scrawny fucker leering at Hayami, who is oblivious to his slimy tongue and clawlike hands.
She only sees the beast in me.
It’s been twenty minutes since I punched him.My hand still throbs, and I hope his lip does.But it doesn’t seem to have served its purpose, as he’s still pawing at her.Right now, I’d love nothing more than to look away, turn a blind eye, but that’s not why I’m here.Not what I’m paid to do.
Hayami leans in and whispers something in his ear, which seems to expand his sneer and widen his eyes.He nods at her, then slides off the stool and heads to the bathrooms before throwing me a sickening, taunting grin that needs wiping off his fucking face.
I want to follow him.Teach him a lesson.Break every finger that’s touched her skin.But he’s not my priority.
She is.
After a few minutes, Hayami slips from her stool and heads to the bathroom.
