She dug her nails into her palms. No way in hell would she react to his old pet name.
He rushed forward and grabbed both of her hands in his. His thumbs stroked over her knuckles, a mockery of affection. “That’s what I love about you. You’re strong.”
No, he didn’t believe that. It was a lie. Pretty words to make her think twice.
“You broke me.” In more ways than one. More ways than he knew. He’d splintered her soul. Shattered her heart and desecrated everything sacred within her. The girl she’d been—scared and scarred but willing to trust the world—he’d killed her. “Why do you even care? Ilya said you’re expecting a baby with Kelly.”
“I don’t want a baby with Kelly! You’re supposed to be my wife, zaichik. You’re the only person I want kids with.”
“You cheated.” Lily swallowed heavily. “I’m the one who gave you everything. Endured everything! You couldn’t even be faithful.”
His right hand dropped hers and lifted, gripping her arm. Her flesh stung where his nails dug in, but she was frozen. All the training she’d done and the self-defense lessons she’d taken those first months after leaving melted away. There in his grasp, she was nineteen again.
“Who I fuck doesn’t matter,” he hissed. “I gave you my grandmother’s ring. I promised you my last name. You think my mom cared about my dad’s affairs?”
“I think your father was a demon.” Though her voice trembled, steely resolve steadied her heart. “And you’re just like him.”
He gripped her jaw. His nails bit into her skin, dragging her forward and tilting her face upward. “That’s enough. Get in the fucking truck, Lil.”
She shook her head as hot tears spilled over her cheeks.
His grip on her arm tightened even more, and he twisted, forcing a pained gasp from her lips when the pressure burned in her shoulder. “I wasn’t asking.”
* * *
Sebastián charged through the door before Kieran, taking with him all the rage that had filled Kieran’s body. The only thing that mattered was getting her away from that asshole. Away from Sebastián before arms started swinging.
He wasn’t sure who roared, himself or Seb, but the guy let Lily go as they sprinted toward him. Kieran grabbed Lily’s hand and hauled her out of harm’s way as Sebastián threw his first punch.
“¡Hijo de puta!”
The chaos that followed blurred as Lily ducked into Kieran’s arms and held on to his shirt like it was her lifeline.His blood pounded in his veins, begging for him to split his knuckles on the guy’s face, but the woman in his arms tamed those instincts. He wrapped her up in his embrace and held her tight against him while sucking in long, deep breaths. “I’ve got you.”
The quiver in her shoulders didn’t fade, but she matched her breaths to his.
“Should I call the police?” Rachel was at the door, her phone already in her hand.
Lily stiffened. “No. Please, don’t. I just want to go home.”
Kieran shook his head at Rachel.
Sebastián slammed Vovik against the gym’s brick wall and hissed in his face. “Come back here again, and I’ll invite the whole MMA team to show you what we do with guys like you.” He tossed Lily’s ex to the ground, throwing in a kick for good measure. “Fuck off, pendejo.”
Vovik scrambled to his feet and ran for a beat-up old truck, which looked like it was on its last mile. He locked eyes with Kieran, glaring daggers dipped in liquid hate. “Enjoy your little whore.” He slammed the door and the truck roared to life.
Oh, this motherfuc—Kieran had half a mind to grab the brick they sometimes used to hold open the lobby door and smash it into the guy’s skull, but Lily’s grip on his shirt had yet to relax. He dipped his head and framed her face with his hands. He brushed his thumbs along her cheekbones, soothing her as much as himself. “I’ll take you home.”
Lily shook her head as the truck peeled off. “No, it’s okay.” Her hands wrapped around his wrists, and she leaned back an inch. “I’m fine. He didn’t hurt me.” Her pounding heart didn’t agree. “You still have practice, remember? You’ve got to train, too, for your fight.”
Kieran twisted his wrists until his hands enveloped hers.“Why don’t you join us? And after, we can do anything you want. Princess’s choice.”
A tremor quaked down her arms. “Anything?” Those morning-sky eyes met his.
“Anything for you, Lily.”
* * *
A frenetic energy permeated the training room. Kieran stalked the spaces between his fighters, correcting hand placements and angles of the body, but he couldn’t focus. The percussion of gloved fists smacking against strike pads was mere background noise to the dizzying what-ifs swarming his mind.
