“Fuck!” Raoul yells and then tries to grab the flamethrower, but in the process loses the car’s remote. One of the guys rushes forward and kicks it away from Raoul, while another sinks a fist in Raoul’s stomach, causing him to buckle over in pain.
The guy hands the remote to Vex, and he pushes the button to unlock the car. Vex then turns up the flame, and it hits the side of the car, the paint bubbling on the surface.
Enough!
I put up my hands to signal that I’m surrendering and exit the vehicle. Vex smiles and turns off the flame, hoisting it back into its holster, and he grins at me as Raoul steps to my side protectively while still holding his stomach.
“So, you’re the rock star girlfriend, right?” Vex asks.
The casual tone of his voice makes my skin crawl.
I glance down the alley again, my heart hammering so hard it feels like it’s cracking against my ribs. Mercs still isn’t moving, not even a twitch. The sight of him lying there, broken and motionless, sends a violent shudder through me that I can’t suppress. For half a second, fear threatens to swallow me whole.
But I won’t let it.
I straighten my spine, forcing myself to stand tall and breathe.
“I am. I have no idea what the hell kind of mess Kaden’s gotten himself into with you, but you can’t go around beating people to a bloody pulp because they owe you a measly sum of money,” I blurt out, my words spilling fast and sharp. I feel my anger rising, washing over my fear, and burning it away. If I let myself think too long about what he’s done to Kaden, I’ll crumble, so I don’t.
Vex raises his brow slowly.
And smiles.
The asshole actually dares to smile.
Raoul shifts in front of me immediately, his arm coming up across my chest, pushing me back a step as Vex takes one forward. The movement is protective, automatic, but I refuse to retreat further as my heels dig into the concrete where I plant myself.
I amnotgoing to let this man think I’m afraid of him.
I’m furious.
My man is lying defenseless in that alley, possibly dead, all because of this asshole. And I’ll be fucked if I’m going to shrink back now.
“You’re a feisty one, aren’t you?” Vex chimes, amused. His gaze drags over me in a way that makes my stomach twist. “I can see why Mercs has a boner for you. Hell, I thinkI’mgetting one for you.”
My lip curls before I can stop it.
Disgust ripples through me like acid.
“I’m surprised you can even get it up. You have to be what? Decayingly old?” I shoot back.
Raoul groans under his breath, pushing me slightly further behind him as if trying to physically block my mouth frommaking matters worse. But I lean around him, refusing to be hidden and keep my eyes locked on Vex’s.
If he thinks he can intimidate me, he picked the wrong woman.
I might be shaking inside.
I might be terrified of what he’s already done.
But I willnotgive him the satisfaction of seeing it.
He smiles and nods to his men, and my spine locks so tight I’m sure it might splinter. For a split second, I think this is it. That this is where it escalates. Where they rush him again. Where I watch something I won’t be able to unsee.
But they lower their bats.
Lower their fists.
And step back.
