Page 49

It feels like I’m on cloud nine as I look at Owen while picking up the plate of ribs and fries Derek ordered.

Since Miles added ribs to the menu, they’ve become a favorite with the patrons.

“Blyat’!” I hear a man yell to my left, and as I look at him, I notice he’s turning horribly pale, his eyes locked on Owen with immense fear. “The Wolf.”

What?

As I turn my head back to Owen, his right hand hits the pass-through, palm flat on the wood. He lifts his body into the air, and as he comes through the opening, it looks like he’s done it a million times before. He ducks just enough to clear the frame and skids over the lip before landing on his feet right beside me.

Holy. Shit.

A strong pull of attraction makes my abdomen flush with heat from seeing Owen execute such a badass maneuver.

The next instant, his forearm slams into me, and I’m knocked backward, the plate falling from my hands and the ribs and fries scattering over the floor.

“Owen!” I cry, shocked by what he just did.

The man by the counter, who is pale as death, darts to his feet, pulling a knife from his pocket.

I don’t even have time to gasp as fear slithers through me.

Owen lunges into action and slams the man’s arm down on the counter, the sickening snap of bone loud enough to be heard above the music. As the knife drops, Owen catches it midair, then he drives it up under the man’s jaw, the blade disappearing into the skin.

“Oh my God!” A scream tears loose from me, intense shock stunning my mind.

It doesn’t even take ten seconds for Owen to move on to the next guy, gripping his arm and hauling him over his shoulder before slamming the guy down on the counter. He brings his elbow down on the man’s throat, and another sickening crack fills the air.

My breaths saw over my lips as horror shudders through me, and I struggle to comprehend that the man I just started a relationship with is killing people right in front of me.

“Owen!” Miles shouts somewhere behind me. “Stop!”

Harlan bounces backward, his eyes wide with alarm, while Owen disarms a third man of his gun and fires two shots into his chest.

My heartbeat turns into a chaotic mess in my chest, pins and needles spreading over me, while my body remains frozen as the gruesome scene continues to unfold.

Some of the patrons duck and run all over the place to find cover, while others stand frozen like me, too scared to move.

As the dead man drops to the floor, Owen turns around and stalks toward me. His eyes are like ice, empty and cold, and his body is coiled tight.

More horror bleeds through me, and it’s closely followed by heartbreak. It hits so hard, I sway on my feet, my vision tunneling.

I thought his fighting skills were badass and hot, but never did it cross my mind that he would kill. I can’t think straight through the shock and absolute terror gripping me.

When Owen grabs hold of my arm, it rips a scared whimper from me, but then another man comes storming into the bar with something that looks a lot like a machine gun.

What is happening?!

“Everyone down!” Miles roars, and more of the patrons drop to the floor, covering their heads with their arms.

Owen hardly looks at the guy with the machine gun, then his arm flies up, and he fires a shot that hits the man right between the eyes.

Oh God. Oh God. Oh God.

My breaths speed up incredibly fast, bordering on hyperventilating, and my ears begin to ring.

With one yank, I’m hauled right against Owen’s body, and his brutal gaze locks with my terrified one.

“Leave Annie,” Miles shouts, panic lacing his words. “Please.”