Page 172 of Bleed with Me

“Surrender,” I told my father, who just lined up his men in a living room. “It’s the best thing you can do.”

“They came to kill,” he snarled. “They broke our agreement.”

“No!” I yelled, grasping his elbow when he wanted to walk past me. “Dorian is here for me. You didn’t listen then, and you don’t listen now. He. Is. Here. For. Me!”

The massive double doors exploded inward. The blast shook the entire mansion. Splinters, smoke, and marble dust filled the entrance hall as men shouted over one another and instinctively raised their weapons.

My heart leaped into my throat. He came.

“Surrender!” The booming voice came from the hall. “Or we’ll open fire!”

“Would you kill her?” Dad grabbed my arm and pulled me closer.

“No,” the familiar chilling voice said from behind me, and the click of a safety on the gun pierced my ears. “But I’ll happily kill you.”

I veered around, the sounds of the dozen men surrounding me falling into the background as my eyes met Dorian’s.

“Hello, ma vilaine,” he greeted, the warmth momentarily returning to his voice. “Are you hurt?”

“No.” I freed my arm from Dad’s grasp. Dorian’s shoulders dropped by a fraction, and I looked over my shoulder at the guards. “Lower your guns!” I commanded, but they hesitated, casting uncertain glances at my dad. “Now!”

Thankfully, they obeyed, and I looked back at Dorian.

“See? No resistance.”

“Where’s Dino?” he asked, his eyes narrowing at my father. “I heard you called him to action.”

“Gone,” Zyon replied, walking down the stairs before my father could reply. “As always. The fucking coward.”

Shivers ran down my spine at the pure hate reflected on Zyon’s face. I didn’t know there was a hunt on Dino. Fuck, I didn’t know many things.

“Well, at least we know the rumors about his death are false.” Dorian shrugged, waving his gun in front of my father’s face. “Join your men. I need a word with my wife.”

Dad’s mouth fell open, but no sound came out. Slowly, he walked into the center of the living room while I glanced at my icy-cold husband.

“What took you so long?” I asked, half joking because his severe expression gave me chills.

“Sorry,” he exhaled; his usually sparkling eyes held no joy, just darkness. “I was tricked.”

“Apology accepted.” I smiled gently, killing the distance between us. I tried to touch him, but he stopped my hand and instead pressed the barrel of his gun under my chin, lifting it toward the light.

“What is this?” he ground out, staring at the bruise in the corner of my mouth I gained during the fight in his car.

“A reminder to train more,” I joked, but I remembered his deadly expression when he found out about Sonny beating me.

“Train more, huh?” he echoed, abruptly turning toward my father and his men. “Which one of you idiots hit her?” His strong voice thundered through the open space. But everyone barely dared to breathe, let alone speak.

“I asked a fucking question!” He pointed a gun at my dad’s head of security, and my stomach dropped. “Who the fuck touched her?”

“Dorian,” I whispered, tugging on his arm, but he didn’t react.

“No one?” He gave them one last chance, and then he fired. The first man on the right, the guy I’d known for eight years because he picked me up after my piano lessons, fell to the ground with a hole in his forehead.

I slapped a hand over my mouth, my eyes widening in horror when I realized Dorian was about to continue.

“Who touched her?” he asked again, sweeter this time. Cold sweat covered my skin when no one said anything, and he fired again.

Dad’s head of security collapsed to the ground, screaming in pain because Dorian shot his knee.