Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 129681 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 519(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129681 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 519(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Hell no.
Just fucking no.
But that jealousy turned to something else entirely when I saw the way Salem’s eyes went wide as they met mine from over his shoulder.
I was already on my way.
I tapped at Karl’s shoulder. You know, real friendly-like. “Think you’ve got your arms around the wrong girl, man.”
He cocked a smug grin my direction, a fucking mouthful of too-straight teeth. He curled his arms tighter. “Nah. Think I’m doing just fine. It’s my birthday, and I’ve just decided what I want.”
“Get off me.” Salem tried to push him off. Asshole didn’t even budge.
My hand clamped down on his arm. “Told you to let her the fuck go.”
“Fuck off,” he tossed out.
“What the hell, Karl?” Tessa shrieked through the mayhem of the bar that just seemed to amplify the greed. Way this fucker thought he could reach out and take whatever he wanted.
Panic radiated from Salem. The same panic I’d glimpsed in my shop that day when she’d thought someone was after her. Like in an instant, she was lost to the past.
She shoved and hit his chest with her fists. “Let me go.”
A scream ripped up her throat when he hugged her tighter.
Scumbag got no further warning. My hands were on the back of his suit jacket, and I was tearing him away. The asshole made the mistake of swinging as I dragged him around. He clipped me on the jaw, right about the time both the girls went stumbling back.
Had him by the shirt collar in a flash. My arm cocked back. One jab to his pompous face and his nose was bleeding out. Pussy crashed to the floor when I let him go like the pile of trash he was.
Gasps and shrieks hit the air, and people jumped back to get out of the way, while others gathered closer, clearly thirsting for a fight.
At least this prick Karl seemed to be because he scrambled back to his feet and flew my way.
Trent pitched a grin at me from behind, laughing under his breath that this fucker actually thought he stood a chance. Trent didn’t even make a move, just sat back like he was going to enjoy the show, though he edged Eden behind him.
Karl roared as he came my way, and I took him by both hands and gave his scrawny ass a good shake. “Cool the fuck down or I’m going to make this a birthday you don’t ever forget.”
He spat in my face.
“Oh, motherfucker.”
But Tessa was suddenly there, yanking at his jacket. “Stop it, Karl, just stop it.”
I let him go, hating to give him a pass, but this was Tessa we were talking about. Girl was sweet as fuck even though she clearly had horrible taste in men. But Karl whirled around and shoved her.
Hard.
Sweet thing flew back, and she knocked into Salem. Both of them toppled, their asses hitting the floor, sending them in a tumble across the stained concrete.
And Karl was dead.
I had the fucker pinned to the ground before he registered that I’d moved.
I set to wailing on his face.
Punch after punch.
Blood splattered. Bone crunched.
Demon laughed and writhed and whispered in my ear.
Calling me back to who I really was.
A monster.
A beast.
Grim.
I cocked my arm back again to render a blow that would flip the switch.
Lights out.
Only a hand caught me around the wrist and jerked my arm back. Trent’s low voice hissed in my ear, “Want to end the bastard, too, but how about we do it without an audience, yeah?”
I heaved a stuttered breath while the piece of shit writhed and screamed. He held his mangled face as he pushed up to sitting. Blood seeped through the seams of his fingers. “What the fuck? What the fuck? You’re finished, you bastard. Finished. I’m going to own you. All of you.”
I lumbered to my feet, trying to rein the violence that screamed through my veins, trying not to look at Salem because I was afraid if I did, it’d send me spiraling all over again.
Some random dude shouted, “Have you on video pushing your girl, pussy. Call the cops, why don’t you? Dare you.”
That was right as Logan busted through the crowd and came rushing up to my side, eyes darting everywhere. “What the hell? Why do you guys always have all the fun without me?”
Our two head bouncers, Kult and Milo, came barreling in. They shoved back the mob that had gathered around us to ogle the mayhem that always found its way into our house.
Milo and Kult looked around to assess the damage.
Kult yanked Karl up by the collar. Asshole’s feet dangled a foot from the ground. Kult was a goddamned mammoth, and he whipped him around like a rag doll.
“Ambulance or the front door, boss?” Kult asked.
Trent looked at me, telling me it was my call.