There were just some things you couldn’t tell family.
Through his tears and cries of pain, Roman eventually told us everything.
After, Collin gently took the gun out of my hand and shot him in the head. We had the information we needed, and none of it was good. I stepped away from the bench and went to the partly-open curtain, needing a moment to collect myself. I just killed a man. I should've been overcome with guilt, but I wasn’t.
The feeling inside of me was…powerful. I felt strong, for the first time in a long time, like I was the one in control of my life.
For the last five years, I had been living as a ghost, in the safe zone where no one could hurt me. I was done walking on eggshells; I was done being weak.
The club was empty, but music still playing, its seductive melody flowing out from the speakers overhead as the red and purple lights glowed. I straightened my ponytail, my eyes scanning over the falling chairs and half-filled glasses.
“Are you alright?”
He was behind me now, close enough that I could feel his breath on my skin. I nodded, brushing away a single tear thatmanaged to escape. He remained silent for a moment and then he spun me to face him, his hand sliding down to the small of my back.
His other tattooed hand found my jaw, forcing me to look up at his face. Those blue eyes pierced my soul, pinning me in place as he gestured to the lifeless room.
“Who owns you?”
Three words. They held so much power. They held my future—ourfuture.
“You do, Col,” I whispered, my stomach fluttering at his voice.
“You knew about the sex rings?” he asked, his eyes holding mine.
I nodded again as his thumb skimmed my bottom lip.
“Haley?” he asked softly.
“Don’t hurt her, please.”
A shadow fell upon his face. “I don’t hurt women, Karina.”
I turned my body to fully face him, putting a hand on his sharp cheek, the touch sending tingles throughout my body as my eyes searched his. “Why did you bring me to Boston?”
“I wanted you here,” he said coolly, pulling my hand away to kiss the inside of my wrist. That was only half the truth, I knew. I wouldn’t push it, though, because if he put his walls up again—if he shut me out again—surviving it wouldn’t be my outcome.
In the next second, he pulled me to his body roughly, his hand palming my ass. “You are a little terror when you’re angry, do you know that?” Those ice eyes flashed. I remained silent, my body on fire from his. He gripped my ponytail, yanking my head back. “You were such a good girl tonight,” he purred, rubbing his nose against my exposed neck.
Those words.
Oh myGod.
My knees buckled, and I fell into his hard body more. His arm snapped around me, and I was trapped against him, his erectiondigging into my thigh. My train of thought derailed, falling into an endless pit of desire and need.
“Are you going to fuck me in a room full of dead bodies?” I asked weakly, looking around at the scene as he dipped his head into my neck. Any normal person would be screaming and fighting for their life, but me? I knew these men did bad things to innocent women, so they got what they deserved.
I felt his smile against my skin and I knew in my soul it was wicked. I shivered against him.
“No, angel. The eyes of the dead don’t deserve to see you come undone on my cock for me.”
“Jesus,” I whispered, clutching his shirt as he bent me backwards. He kissed and nibbled on my neck until I was squirming in his arms.
“I love that you are finally mine,” he murmured, kissing my shoulder.
I didn’t think I was supposed to hear that, but I was glad I did.
After the information we were just given, I needed something to give me hope.
