Here I was, believing Kitty was my salvation.
Here I was, offering her damnation.
Luc’s hand clamped onto my shoulder in silent support, but the damage had been done. “That’s enough.”
I turned my head away, feeling sick to my stomach at the truth Dead To Me had thrown in my face. Like acid, it sank through my skin, burning through cartilage and muscle, cutting right to the bone.
I should never have touched my angel.
I should have left her alone.
And as I was about to vow to myself that I’d live without her so long as she survived this mess, that I’d spend the rest of my life alone as penance, my phone lit up.
With dead eyes and a heavy heart, I only checked the notification to ensure the foot soldier numbers matching my request were en route to Nolita and on the off chance it was the cunt who’d taken her.
Kitty: Stan, I killed him
Kitty: Please, help me
Kitty: Please
Kitty: I need you
A snarl escaped me as I read her messages aloud, and as I began typing, she sent a picture of a corpse.
The pride that filled me at that image would stay with me for a lifetime.
She wasn’t agattaredda.
She was a fucking lioness.
Mygoddamn lioness. No matter what Dead To Me thought.
Me: KITTY
Me: I’m coming, liunissa
Me: You’ve done so fucking well.
Me: I’m so proud of you
Kitty: Please come
Kitty: Please
When I sent her my location and our proximity to Nolita registered, relief made me numb.
Especially as Kitty’s texts triggered a release of intel from Dead To Me on breaching the brothel’s entrance and getting past the men guarding the door who were only Cerberus—more waited below the gates to hell.
Me: Nearly there
Me: I will always find you
Me: Always
Quickly, I set up a group chat with the dozens of men I’d called in to fight with us. Each sent over their locations and ETAs within seconds. Only Chad didn’t answer.
Needing her to know that she was safe, I bared my soul when this wasn’t the time for such a declaration. But if anyone deserved the truth, if anyone deserved this poisoned heart, it was Kitty after what I’d put her through.
