I can’t even let myself imagine it, knowing if I do, I’ll lose the already frayed thread of reason that’s holding me back from gutting this guy. “If you think I’m going to let a bunch of power-tripping grudgefucks paw at my goddamn Duchess all night, then you’re out of your fucking mind!”
Saul puffs his cigar, nodding. “I see that you’re worried about her safety, so I’ll give you this. You and the other Dukes will be her security.”
“I don’t think you’re understanding me, Saul.” I reach down to pull the knife from my boot, voice low and deadly. “The answer is no.”
After a short pause, he bursts into a gravelly laugh. “Oh, you’ve got such spunk, kid.” Gradually, the mirth falls away, leaving a ruthlessly pensive expression. “Truth be told, I’d love to meet you in the ring someday.”
“Meagainst your washed-up ass? Please.” I scoff, eyeing him disdainfully. “You have a beer gut and a bum knee. You couldn’t even beat Killer.”
“Oh, but I can beat you,” he says, raising a finger, “with nothing but my fingertip.”
He brings his finger down on the remote control perched on the arm of his chair. There’s a brief whirr and then an enormous flat screen appears from behind a wall panel. The picture on the screen is dark and grainy, but I’d know the face anywhere.
Lavinia is spread out on a bed.
A man in a black ski mask is fucking her.
“No,” she’s gasping, fighting, as I punch my hips into hers. “Don’t! Please don’t!”
I grunt, “Hold her,” and another masked man appears–Remy–climbing onto the mattress and wrenching her arms up.
“I’ll scream!” she warns, voice wobbling. “I’ll scream, I’ll cut your goddamn throat, you motherfucking—!”
I slam into her with a deep rumble, remembering all too well what it felt like to finally–fuckingfinally–claim her like this. How warm she was inside. How unbelievably tight. The way it felt to know I was filling her up, making her mine.
I can’t rip my eyes away from it.
“The Lucia girl is going to give our brothers a show, Nick.” Saul’s voice is closer, maddeningly matter-of-fact, and I realize he’s climbed to his feet at some point, standing loosely beside me. “Else, I’ll have to give them and the rest of Forsyth a show of my own.”
When I eventually look away, unable to bear what comes next, it’s to the sight of Lavinia on the loveseat with her head bowed. I don’t need to see her eyes to guess what she’s feeling. This is humiliation to the highest degree. To Saul, I try to keep my voice even, belying the nuclear explosion currently happening in my gut. “Blackmail? Really?”
His eyes swing to the screen. “Oh, it’s not just blackmail, kid. This little feature here doubles as a nice, juicy bit of insurance.” He straightens suddenly, eyes flashing in delight. In the video, me, Sy, and Remy spread her legs, showing off my cum dribbling out of her hole. “This is my favorite part. Goodness, look at that pretty cunt. Who knew a Lucia girl could be so pink and tight?”
I lunge for him, grabbing him by the collar, his glass falling to the floor and shattering. “This video doesn’t fucking belong to you.”
“Everything belongs to me!” he snarls back, clamping my wrist in a bruising grip. “This is exactly what I’m talking about. Disobeying orders, making deals with Kings behind my back, telling me what’smine.” His nostrils flare wide, eyes burning with anger. “So in case you feel entitled to positions that don’t belong to you, consider this,Bruin.” He spits my name like it’s an insult, full of venom. “If the Lords found out you duped them, they’d kill all three of you. Especially at the agreement of your own King.”
I should have known.
All along, I should have known that Saul only let me in to make me fall. The last Bruin. His only competition. I’m not here to be a Duke. I’m here to be his joke. “You ratfuck piece of–”
“I’ll do it.” Lavinia’s voice cuts through my rage like a blade made of ice. “If you let Nick protect me, I’ll…” She swallows and I see her in my periphery, trying her best to raise her head high. “I’llentertainthem.”
Saul never breaks my glare, baring his teeth. “Smart girl.”
I search his eyes, every muscle in my body poised to tear him apart. “When I came in here, I had this thought that you were smarter than people give you credit for.” White hot rage circulates in my blood—pounds in my ears. I twist the shirt, tightening it around his neck. “Obviously, I was wrong, because you just committed suicide,” I hiss, then shove him back, where he stumbles into the bar, knocking over the crystal decanter.
Saul violently rights himself, a lock of graying hair flopping into his eyes. “You don’t scare me, Nick. Hers isn’t the only weakness I’ve seen this morning. After all, if you’re dead, where does that sweet cunt of yours go? To her father? Back to the brothel?” His eyes slide to Lavinia, narrowing. “Maybe I’ll just let the alumni have her. Fifty bored, bitter, horny, washed-up fighters just chomping at the bit for a little taste of territorial revenge.” His voice drops to a low timbre when he meets my gaze again. “They’d fuck her so much bloodier than you did.”
“We’re leaving,” I say, because I know if I don’t, I’m going to stop caring about the fact Payne will kill me when that video gets out.
As I’m grabbing Lavinia’s hand, wresting her off the couch and storming toward the door, Saul calls out, “Nice chat, Bruin. To the victor!”
9
Lavinia
The moment Nicksteps out of Saul’s office, he transforms. I’m not sure which I prefer; the murderous man with the inferno eyes orthis.