Tainted Obsession (King of Ruin #1) Read Online Julia Sykes

Categories Genre: Alpha Male, Crime, Dark, Mafia Tags Authors: Series: King of Ruin Series by Julia Sykes
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Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 45819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 229(@200wpm)___ 183(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
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I just had to navigate the next few weeks with Duarte, and if I left George breathing for much longer, that wouldn’t help solidify our new friendship. I had to follow through on my promise, or it would be my life on the line. My friends wouldn’t be in Mexico to watch my back, and there would be little I could do against Duarte’s small army of men. Over the last two decades, I’d learned to survive through honing my violent instincts, but I was only one man against many. Leaving George Crawford alive and well was bad for my health.

My fists clenched at my sides when the bastard finally emerged from his apartment building, stepping out into the bright morning light. I didn’t see any of his fellow agents nearby. It was a Saturday, and he must have the day off. This might be my opportunity to get him alone in a quiet alley and…

Fuck.

Sunlight flashed over Evelyn’s platinum hair as she followed him out onto the street, tucking her body close to his for protection. It seemed she was finally ready to venture out into the world after her ordeal, but she would still be jumpy from the violence she’d suffered.

I had to admire her bravery. After her isolation for the last week, I’d assumed she would become reclusive because of what she’d suffered.

The memory of her tears glittering in the darkness played through my mind. I should’ve known she’d be resilient. She was strong enough to hide her distress from Crawford, probably to spare him from further worry about her wellbeing.

My eyes narrowed on him. The corrupt motherfucker didn’t deserve a woman like her. But judging by the way she pressed her body close to his side, she loved the bastard.

She would probably weep when he died. But I could at least spare her the trauma of seeing his dead body.

Was the coward intentionally using her presence as a shield, since his fellow agents weren’t around to watch his back?

I shook my head to clear the thoughts away.

His motives didn’t matter. I had a job to do, and if I managed to find an opening, I’d kill him today. I just had to hope that Evelyn would be separated from him at some point.

I rolled the tension from my shoulders and began to follow them through the bustling city streets. Anger heated my chest as I watched them together: she clung to him, and he held her as though he had every right to own the innocent heart of this fragile woman. Physically, he was probably strong enough to defend her from most men, but he would be no match for me. I had at least thirty pounds of muscle on him, and I was accustomed to killing. He might be corrupt, but I doubted he’d ended as many lives as I had. I’d lost count over the long, bloody years.

I didn’t lose sleep over it, and I wouldn’t feel so much as a shred of remorse for killing this motherfucker. Especially if it meant saving Evelyn from him. She’d never be put in jeopardy because of his criminal activities ever again. I would guarantee it.

As I stalked them to the crowded market, my attention remained fixed on Evelyn. She hovered close enough to the bastard’s side that I could tell myself that I was sticking to my task and hunting my prey.

But I kept watching her, my fascination deepening. She moved with graceful confidence, her shoulders straight and steps steady. She didn’t cower or cringe in the aftermath of her ordeal, even though this was her first time venturing back outside.

Did she find that inner strength because he was with her? Did she think he would protect her if she was threatened again?

My teeth snapped, cutting the inside of my cheek. The way she looked to him to keep her safe made my blood boil, and the red haze of my rage hovered at the edges of my mind. The sight of her small hand clasped possessively in his was almost enough to make me snap. I hadn’t been this unstable since the night I’d killed her kidnappers. It wasn’t like me to lose my shit, not unless my life was in danger. But now, I hovered on the edge of murderous violence.

Luckily for Crawford, she released his hand when they reached a produce stall. Some of the tension eased from my muscles, and I managed to calm my most feral urges. Watching her rather than my enemy soothed the beast inside me, preventing me from recklessly attacking the motherfucker.

As she reached for an apple, I noted the white flash of the bandage that encircled her wrist. A shadow of my rage tightened my fists. She was still recovering from what those bastards had done to her, what her piece of shit fiancé had allowed to happen to her.


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