It’s only then I move on to his ribs. My breaths rush over my lips, and my heart follows the beat of my fists until he’s wheezing with pain.
Rising to my feet, I stagger a step back and look at the bloody mess. My top lip twitches, and when Justin turns onto his side, groaning and gasping for air, my body shudders, and I lose my mind.
I kick him in the groin as I roar, “You were going to rape her.”
Justin lets out a wheezing wail as he tries to cover his dick, but it doesn’t stop me from delivering another kick and then another.
Arms come around my chest, and I’m pulled away. “Enough, brother. He has to live.”
I yank against Alexei’s hold, letting out a snarl.
“Stop!” he shouts right by my ear.
My body shudders from the control it takes to back down.
Unsatisfied, I watch as Demitri drags my prey away.
Alexei moves around me, and placing his hands on either side of my neck, he locks eyes with me. “We have to let this one go. Come with me. I have a job. It will help satisfy the craving.”
My breaths begin to return to normal as I ask, “We get to kill?”
His mouth curves up. “We kill.” His eyes drop to my hands. “First, we clean you up. Come on.” He wraps an arm around my shoulders and walks me to the car.
I glance around the warehouse then ask, “Where did they go?”
“Demitri and the others will take him to the hospital. They’ll warn him not to say a word.”
My eyes snap to the door, and it has Alexei lightly slapping my cheek. “It’s done. Clean your hands so we can go.”
While I remove the knuckle rings and rinse the blood from my hands, I ask, “Who are we killing?”
“Two low-level drug dealers who stole from my client,” Alexei informs me.
I pick up my jacket and throw it onto the back seat before climbing into the SUV. Then taking out my phone, I text Ryker.
T: I repaid the favor to Green.
Seconds later, he responds.
R: Thank you. Still alive?
T: Unfortunately.
R: I owe you.
I push my phone back in my pocket then pull out my gun to check the clip.
“Put the Glock away. We’ll be using machine guns,” Alexei says.
My lips curve up. “Fun.”
“Always,” Alexei chuckles as he drives us away from the warehouse.
By the time we reach LA, it’s already dark.
I quickly send Hana a text.
T: Might be late.
H: Can I wait at the penthouse?
A smile forms on my face.
T: Please.
H: Be safe, my darkness.
I tilt my head as I read the words.
T: I will. Love you, my light.
H: Love you.
Alexei stops the car, and I watch as he takes a bag from the back. When he gets in again, he sets it down on my lap. “Take out the guns.”
I remove two from the bag as we drive through a shady-looking neighborhood and place the rest down by my feet. When it feels like we’re going in circles, I ask, “What are you looking for?”
“They do business here. A black Cadillac.”
“What if there’s a witness?” I ask.
“No one here will talk. Also, the police don’t fuck with me.”
True.
After another ten minutes, give or take, we finally spot the car. Alexei stops the SUV and takes one of the guns. “Just do what I do.”
My heart starts to beat faster as the excitement begins to build in my chest.
I get out, and falling in next to Alexei, we walk toward the parked vehicle.
“Take the passenger side. Shoot when you see a gun or when I shoot.”
“Okay.”
“Don’t shoot me,” he chuckles.
I let out a burst of laughter as my heartbeat speeds up and a rush of adrenaline floods my veins.
As I come up on the passenger side, I stay a couple of feet back, so I don’t get into Alexei’s line of fire.
Alexei taps on the roof of the car. “Pérez, De León. Remember me?”
“Mierda!” The driver tries to open the door, and when Alexei begins to empty his clip into the back of the seat, I pull the trigger and do the same. The gun vibrates in my hand as the rounds fly, sending a euphoric rush through my body.
When I’m all out of ammo, I let out a holler. “Holy fuck, that was awesome.”
Alexei laughs as he comes to my side of the car. “Don’t point that at me, fucker.”
He takes the machine gun from me as we laugh, both high from the action.
We jog back to the SUV, and once we’re speeding away from the scene, Alexei says, “Now we drink.”
I look down at my shaking hands, savoring the thrill of the kill.
Chapter 19
HANA
I packed a weekend bag, even though I haven’t spoken to Tristan about staying until Monday morning. I wanted to surprise him, but I’m sure he’ll be okay with it.
Leaving the bag in Tristan’s closet, I walk to the bathroom to shower. I tie my hair up so it won’t get wet and turn on the water. I hold my hand under the spray until the temperature is right. Stripping out of my clothes, I fold each item neatly before placing them on the counter.
Stepping under the spray, I close my eyes and let out a contented sigh. I squirt some body wash on a loofah and begin to lather the soap into suds.
Feeling eyes on me, I glance over my shoulder. When I see Tristan watching me with the sexy smirk I love so much, I smile. “You’re home.” He begins to undress, and seeing red stains on his shirt, I frown and ask, “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” He continues to undress. “It’s not my blood.”
I turn to face him, asking, “Who’s is it.”
Stepping into the shower, his eyes lock on mine, then the corner of his mouth curves up. “Justin.”
My conscience whispers that I should be worried about what Tristan did to Justin, but remembering Mila’s beaten body and how she cowered away from us all, a smile forms on my face.
Wanting to know how far Tristan went, I ask, “Did you kill him?”
He shakes his head, a disgruntled look settling on his face. “Unfortunately not.”
I begin to wash his body. “Did he suffer?”
Tristan's eyes capture mine, and he stares for a while. He’s probably wondering if I can handle hearing what he did.
I lift on my toes and press a kiss to his mouth, whispering, “Tell me you broke his ribs. Tell me you beat him to within an inch of his life.”
Tristan’s gaze roams over my face, and when I continue to wash his body, he murmurs, “I did.”
A satisfied smile tugs at my mouth. “Good.” I press another kiss to his mouth. “Thank you, my darkness.”
Tristan strikes, and grabbing hold of my hips, he shoves me back against the tiles. His tongue surges into my mouth, and his teeth knead my lips until they tingle from the feral kiss. I push against him and wrapping my arms around his neck, I begin to fight him for control, repaying every scrape and tug of his teeth with my own.
He groans into my mouth, the sound a mixture of satisfaction and possessiveness. It makes a thrilling sensation flood my body, causing goosebumps to spread over my skin and my core to pulse with need.