Another choked groan of pain. He’d need to see a doctor after this, but I wasn’t about to offer him one.
Cole’s smug expression is like the true devil himself. His eyes were unsettled but focused. Bright red blood gushes from the guy’s nose and down his chin onto Cole’s arm. Face ashen and pale.
I should be alarmed, panicked,terrified. I wasn’t any of those things. If I was the other guy, then I would be. A feeling rooted itself deep in my gut telling me Cole would never physically hurt me.
He liked intervening himself in my business though. Charging in like a raging stallion for a second time. It was beginning to grow irritating.
Cole’s pupils are completely black. The veins in his arms and neck were bulging and thick. Straining against his skin. His breathing uneven but steady, like this was his natural element—destruction. One bad eye flinches away from murdering the dude. He was dangerous and mad. Not a good mix.
“I’m doing my job,” he wheezes out through a strangled cough.
“What.” Cole’s eyes stay laser focused. “…Explain.”
“She was stealing,” he defends.
His eyebrows dip to his cheekbones. Jaw twitching in irritation before looking over at me and then down at my arm. A fresh batch of anger forming in his lifeless,coldeyes.
He bares his teeth. Pushing harder into his collarbone. “She did what?”
“The alarms, she set”—the guy splutters a cough, tapping at Cole’s arm. He relents, releasing only a fraction—“she set them off and tried to run.”
“I didn’t—” I try and defend. The words dying on my tongue as Cole opens the small front pocket of my bag. Slowly pulling out a gold chain bracelet.
My mouth parts in surprise seeing it dangling between his fingertips. Closing his hand, the metal crunches together as he crushes it.
“Never touch a Casper again,” Cole roars, shoving the now broken chain into the guy’s chest.
“I didn’t—” His lips trembling. “How… what?”
“Are you questioning a Kellet?” Cole grits out. Getting back in his face.
“Never… I-I was not aware.”
“Keep it that way.” Cole’s face is like granite. “Touch her again and you won’t be lucky enough to have all ten fingers next time.” His tone is guttural.
The security guy bobs his head, passing a shocked Hailey who played witness to the whole thing.
“My car.”
I move toward Hailey.
Cole grunts. “Now. Aurora.”
I stop dead in my tracks. What did he say?
His eyes glint unamused, as I round him. “No.”
“It wasn’t a question.”
“I didn’t take it as an invitation,” I spit out.
His stare is heavy. Lips pursed tightly in annoyance. Bubbles formed in my stomach at the intensity.
“It wasn’t one.”
“Good,” I say, spinning back on my heel.
He grunts and then I’m hoisted off the ground in one fast swoop like I weigh nothing. Slinging me over his shoulder all brooding and caveman-like. My hair falls over my face. Fists pounding into his back.