Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 38835 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 194(@200wpm)___ 155(@250wpm)___ 129(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38835 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 194(@200wpm)___ 155(@250wpm)___ 129(@300wpm)
I’d thought he operated under a code of honor similar to my own, but this sadistic piece of shit had no honor.
Only my promise to Gian and Enzo prevented me from wrapping my hands around his throat and squeezing the life out of him.
Someone shouted out a bid in pesos, and another man whistled. The girl on stage withered, her golden skin going ashen.
Another bid. The girl shuddered, her entire body convulsing in visceral horror. She couldn’t be more than twenty years old, if that. She was pretty enough to draw the lustful eye of the worst men in the room, her heart-shaped face soft and lovely. She might’ve been beautiful if it weren’t for the fact that she looked like she might vomit.
“One hundred thousand US dollars,” I called out, putting an end to the disgusting scene. If Adrián wouldn’t stop this, I would. I couldn’t kill every man in here to save her, but I could buy her freedom.
“Massimo!” Evelyn went rigid in my arms.
“Two hundred and fifty thousand.” Adrián’s voice rang out, and everyone went deadly silent.
His cruel, sadistic eyes remained fixed on my face, a cold challenge.
I met his stare head-on, not bothering to hide the disdain in my own eyes. My new Colombian partner was a twisted piece of shit, and I wouldn’t let him touch the girl.
“Five hundred thousand,” I barked, keeping my gaze steady on his. This was between us now; the rest of the men didn’t matter.
Evelyn trembled in my arms, but I couldn’t pause to comfort her. I knew this exchange would be distressing for her, but I couldn’t afford to take my focus off my opponent for even a moment.
Adrián nodded and offered me a sudden, shocking grin of savage approval. “She’s all yours, my friend.”
It’d been a test. He’d never had any intention of buying the girl. He’d wanted to assess my character, and I’d shown him the kind of man I was.
I didn’t appreciate being played, and I let him read my irritation clearly on my face. He continued to smile at me, delighted at my discomfort. The man truly was a sadist.
And now I was faced with a difficult choice: I had to claim the girl before someone else stepped in, or I could stay with Evelyn.
I turned my attention to Stefano. He might be mercurial, but he was a formidable man, and he’d spent enough time around Evelyn and me to understand how much I valued her.
“Will you take Evelyn back to the house, please? I need to handle this.”
“Massimo, no.” She gripped my forearm, clinging on tight.
The horror that darkened her lovely eyes made my chest ache. I never wanted her to witness anything like this ever again.
“I’ll make sure she’s safe,” Stefano promised, completely sincere for once. No matter his capacity for violence, he wouldn’t allow any harm to come to an innocent woman like Evelyn. He’d approved of my choice to defend her from the very beginning. When I’d found her in that basement and killed his rogue men to save her, he’d thanked me for ending them.
The fearsome drug lord would keep my fragile little butterfly safe while I dealt with this clusterfuck.
I brushed a kiss over Evelyn’s chilled cheek and entrusted her into his care. He steered her away from me, toward the exit.
“What will you do now?” Adrián asked, pale eyes sparking with curiosity.
“I’m going to find out which motherfucker put her up for auction.”
“And then?” he prompted.
“I’ll make the man scream. And the bastard who announced the auction. And every piece of shit who dared to bid on her.”
Adrián nodded, his cruelly handsome features twisting into a terrible grin. “Mateo and I would love to help.”
A lot of blood was about to be spilled, and I wouldn’t deny the sadist his due. I checked the exit, catching a final flash of Evelyn’s platinum hair as she was led away from the impending violence.
She would be safe back at the mansion. I’d do whatever was necessary to hide the darkest aspects of my world from her. I regretted that she’d witnessed the disgusting scene here tonight, but I still wouldn’t have changed my decision to bring her with me.
Even now, having her out of my sight irritated me like an itch beneath my skin.
“Weapon of choice?” Adrián asked smoothly.
“Knife,” I grunted in reply, distracted by thoughts of Evelyn.
“Excellent.” A blade appeared in my hand.
The familiar weight was reassuring. I’d learned to fight with knives during my youth in Le Vele. Guns were good too, but a knife was more personal. A gun put a man down without a fight. A knife let me feel their blood on my hands. I didn’t revel in their pain like sadistic Adrián, but there was something honest about ending a man with a blade.
And I would get to watch the light leave my enemies’ eyes as I made them pay for what they’d done to that innocent girl. I didn’t get off on violence, but I relished justice. My retribution would be swift and bloody, and then I could return to my sweet Evelyn.