“You would know,” I mutter.
Colten makes a shushing noise, but I ignore him. In the end, this is between Marco and me. “Only a spoiled little kid decides something belongs to him, and nobody else can have it. You’re a bully.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Marco tells Colten, grinning at me. “I like them feisty. Nothing gets me off like breaking a bitch’s spirit.”
He aims the gun at my head. Colten tries to put himself between us again, but Marco shakes his head. “See, here’s what’s going to happen. I’m gonna fuck her here and now, and you’re gonna watch. And if you try to stop me, I blow her fucking brains out. Understood?”
“No,” Colten growls, backing me up against the headboard.
“Then I’ll blow your brains out in front of her and fuck her while she lies next to your corpse. Does that sound better?” He’s grinning from ear to ear, his eyes gleaming like this is fun for him. When he turns the gun on Colten, I yelp.
“No, please, don’t hurt him.”
Marco puts on an ugly pout. “Aw, what, are you scared I’m gonna hurt your little boyfriend? Your big hero who went and cried to his boss about how mean I was.” He whimpers grotesquely.
“Enough.” Colten holds up his hands. “Do you honestly think Ace is not going to find out what you did? What do you think he’ll do to you when he finds out? This isn’t the first time he’s had issues with you.”
“See, that’s the difference between you and me, fucker.” He jams the pistol against Colten’s temple, and I barely bite back a scream. “I don’t give a shit. Ace Hale is no one to me. I’ll do whatever the fuck I want. He’s not my boss, and just because he runs that fucking place doesn’t mean there aren’t others I can go to. The only problem is, they don’t have you.” In a flash, he turns the gun on me. “So right now, I’m going to get my fill of you, fucking all your holes while he watches.”
Suddenly, Colten sweeps Marco’s arm up until the gun is pointed at the ceiling. He throws himself at Marco, and they both fall to the floor. This time, I do scream, horrified at the sight of them wrestling with the gun, knowing Colten could be shot. “Stop, please!” I don’t know if they can hear me. They’re too busy cursing and snarling and struggling.
There’s a phone on the nightstand. I grab it, punching the number for the operator. “Please, help!” I scream while the men wrestle. Colten is on top, and he punches Marco in the face, but Marco easily throws him off. Colten grabs his wrist, pointing the gun toward the window.
I have to do something. I can’t sit here and watch Colten die. Something gets me off the bed. Something sends me flying over to where they are, and I take Marco’s wrist in my hands before biting as hard as I can.
“You fucking bitch!” he howls, but his grip on the gun loosens. I take it, jumping to my feet and aiming it at his head.
“How do you like it?” I shriek, triumphant. I’m in control now. I have his life in my hands. “How does it feel, you piece of shit?”
Colten freezes. So does Marco. “Emma, be smart,” Colten murmurs.
“Yeah, listen to him,” Marco mutters. I get the satisfaction of watching Colten backhand him hard enough that his head snaps to the side.
“Don’t you say another word to her,” he snarls.
He gets to his feet and holds out his hand toward me. “Give me the gun.”
I do because it’s not like I would have had the nerve to pull the trigger.
Someone is pounding on the door. “Go answer it. It’s probably security.”
I don’t know what’s keeping me on my feet as I stagger from the bedroom through the living room. It’s only when I’m opening the door that I remember I’m only wearing a bra, so I sort of hide myself behind the door as I swing it open. “Please, help us.”
I expected to see somebody from the hotel standing there. I didn’t expect Ace Hale to show up.
“Where is the fucker?” He storms into the room, his head swinging back and forth. I point at the bedroom, and he marches that way, followed by two of his guys. I’m hot on their heels because now I want to see how this plays out.
“What the fuck?” Marco blurts out. Colten backs away to give the men room to haul Marco to his feet.
“You always thought I wasn’t on to your tricks,” Ace snarls. “What, you don’t think I was tracking your car? As soon as I found out you weren’t home, I checked your location. Why else would you be at a random hotel in the city? I called on the way over here, and they told me there was a Colten Wolff checked in.”
So much for security. Then again, Marco found his way up here, didn’t he?
“Come on. I’m not dealing with your fucking antics anymore. I’m going to get rid of you like I should’ve the first time you stole from the auction house.” He jerks his head, which is clearly shorthand for his guys to get Marco out of here. He’s snarling and growling and looks like he’s going to spit on me, but one of the men shoves him hard through the doorway before he can do it.
“I apologize for all of this. We take family serious here, and since you work for us, you’re like a member of our family.” Ace glances at me, then averts his eyes. “You’ll both find my apology in your bank accounts. I assume your information is held at the auction house.”
“It is,” Colten confirms. He’s rubbing his jaw, where Marco must have hit him at some point, but otherwise, he looks unharmed.