“Is that…?” I gasp.
“Your panties?” He smirks. “Don’t worry, no one will know what it is. And I’m not leaving anything of yours around for some creep to find.”
I flush and push against his chest. “I have to get back.”
“That you do, little dove.” He fetches my shoes and slides them on my feet.
I reach for my broken necklace, but before I can hop off, his arms slide under my knees. I gasp when he picks me up, bridal style. My arms grab his shoulder and neck for balance.
“What are you doing?”
“Taking you back.”
“What? No-no. I meant, go back to my family. Put me down. We had a deal.”
“You never said I couldn’t take you after I fucked you.” He grins. “You should be more careful with your words when you make deals, princess.”
I glare at him, my nails digging into his neck. “Put. Me. Down,” I grit out.
For once, he listens. He places me on my feet, softly, but his arm stays around my waist in a death grip as he opens the door. I catch a glimpse of myself in the glass pane of one of the paintings on the wall. Running a hand through my disheveled hair, I take the pins out and let them fall over the angry marks along my neck and my torn neckline, stained with Mason’s blood. Even then, my flushed face and lips stand out. But there isnothing I can do about that until I find a washroom. Mason grins at my state, proud of his work.
I peek left and right, looking for guards, or worse, before I take one step forward and trip, wincing.Damn it.Mason catches my waist, eyeing me suspiciously.
“It’s these stupid heels,” I lie. I can’t tell him I’m sore, or crazy will pick me up and carry me out.
“Then, why do you wear them?” he asks with a hand on the small of my back as he walks me to the main hall, one slow step at a time. Still, I’m so sore, each movement feels like a graze.
“Because I’m surrounded by giants,” I deflect and come to a stop at the edge of the busy corridor.
“If you are not in my arms by this time tomorrow, I’m coming back for you,” he warns, voice deep enough to slice metal.
“I believe you.” I smile and start to step away.
But he grabs me again and locks onto my lips. Cued to his touch, I lean in for one more, moving against him in soft strokes, while my brain screams at me to break away.
Then, all of a sudden, his mouth rips from mine, and I am wrenched out of Mason’s arms.
Thud!
A deafening sound of bone crunching pierces my ears.
“Dan!” I yell. My eyes flash from my brother, who stands between us with his fist braced, and Mason, who wipes a streak of red from the corner of his mouth with his injured hand wrapped in my underwear, to my great horror.
I plead with Mason wordlessly when his fingers twitch toward Dan.
At the other end of the hallway, Hugo and Kane appear. They don’t intervene. Casually lingering, they keep their distance, while the two guards behind Dan harden their stance.
Great, that’s what I need right now. More testosterone.Dandoesn’t miss it, either; his eyes flash straight to Kane Berkeley, who he called by another name earlier tonight.
What was that about?
That name was on Dan’s suspiciously hidden list. The idea of my brother being involved with the Grim Reaper terrifies me, but not as much as my brother face-to-face with Mason.
“Stay the fuck away from my sister, Grant,” Dan bellows.
Mason takes a step closer. The guards close in, too, and so do Kane and Hugo.
“Or?” Mason smirks and raises an eyebrow. “You are new to this, so a piece of advice. A threat is best served with a mention of consequences.”
