“No,” I say, my voice weak. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“We can put all this bullshit behind us and everything can go back to how it was.”
I shake my head. “No. I don’t want to go back to the way it was. I don’t want to go back to your fucking lies.”
His bright blue eyes blaze like flames as I shiver. I swallow hard.
“You just drive me so crazy, Alex,” he says, grabbing my chin with one hand and forcing me to look at him. “I can’t help myself. It’s your fault.”
It is my fault. All of it.
I tear myself from his grip.
“Get the fuck off my property, Vance.” I push him away.
His blue eyes shift from calculating to the gaze I know best.
The beast inside of the man stares at me with fury.
And I realize my error.
I pushed him.
I never push him Because fighting equals retaliation.
“I am your captain,” he yells. “You arenothingwithout me. I made you, you little slut. And this is how you repay me?”
“You don’t own me!” I grit out. “You don’t—”“Yes, I do.” He grabs me by the shirt, pulling me close. So close I can smell his bitter breath and feel the spit from his mouth. I claw at his hands, pushing against him, but he’s strong. Stronger than I am.
Adrenaline kicks in and I feel like I can’t breathe. Panic and anxiety swells, because I know what’s coming. I’ve been down this road before with him. More than once.
Three times, to be exact.
“I got you that deal, Alex. Because you couldn’t do it yourself. Remember? I was there. I plucked you from your bumfuck little town, and Imade youwhat you are.”
His fist rears back and I push away from him. He drops me to the ground, and I scramble to get away as I scream one word.
He runs after me, cursing my name.
“Vegas!” I cry, tripping on my own fucking feet and going down again.
He catches me by the shirt, and he yanks me back so hard my knees buckle and I fall with a thud to the ground.
“You listen here, you little shit,” he growls. My eyes water, and I’m choking out sobs. Tears come like rain, and I close my eyes as I brace for the hit I know is coming.
Maybe I deserve it.
Because clearly I’m not worth it.
But the hit never comes. Instead, all I hear is a dark voice. It’s low, steady. Deep with a tinge of gravel and threatening as all hell.
“Touch him again, and Iwillkill you.”
When I open my eyes, I think I must be dreaming. Vance must have knocked me out cold.
Because all I can see is Jordan Mackenzie with his hands wrapped around Vance Harding’s throat.
Chapter Forty-Seven
