Soft Tissue Damage (Deadly Hearts #2)

by Lilith Vincent

I lift my head and glare at him. “Shut...

“Tyrant, don’t. You wouldn’t like it if I were on Flockton Street.”

Vivienne was always bookish and never a party girl, so Tyrant doesn’t know the unique torture of watching your woman head out on the town looking devastatingly sexy in a dress that signals I am available.

“Angel, you can go out on Flockton Street...

“What I wouldn’t have given to lock Vivienne up in this house from the first night I met her, before she could steal Barlow back from me.”

Mercer and Vivienne exchange looks. I know what they’re thinking.

“Yes, I have hidden cameras all over my house, but I don’t look at her in bed or the shower.”

“Don’t judge me for being insane, Mercer. You’re...

“Vivienne’s my wife. I’m allowed t...

“You were insane before I was your wife,” Vivi...

shouldn’t have given Elena fuck-me heels for her birthday. Scratch that. I shouldn’t have let her leave the goddamn house.

“Leave Rosie with us tonight. Tomorrow morning as well.”

“Good idea, angel.” Tyrant smirks at me. “Give Elena a birthday kiss and calm the fuck down.”

“Of course. You know I love Rosie, and it will give Tyrant some practice being a girl dad. He’s got his heart set on us having a daughter.”

“Go get your woman. You’re no fucking fun in this state.”

“Why are you not interested in any of these cute boys I’m pointing out? Is my cute radar off tonight?

“The daddy making a beeline for us.” She grins wickedly. “I love older guys, and you’ve already got one panting over you. Dibs.”

“Maybe birthday wishes do come true. I’ll be over there with Malika and her friends.”

“I’ve never seen these shoes on a woman before. I saw them once in a shop window, and I’ve never gotten them out of my head. Thank you for making my night. I’ll be thinking about you wearing these shoes all week.”

She sees who I’m leaving with, and though her eyes sparkle with excitement for me, she still mouths, You okay?

I glance at Cullan’s large, veiny hand wrapped around mine as he leads me off the dance floor. I think I’m going to sleep with my boss. I’m obviously crazy, and the butterflies in my stomach are rioting, but I am totally okay with that. I nod quickly and smile, and she gives me an excited thumbs-up.

“Have you ever shot rabbits, Elena?”

Cullan doesn’t have a foot fetish. He loves the hunt. Heat floods my core.

“I think I know your fantasy.” He raises an eyebrow. “Do you?”

“Can anyone see us?”

“The owners are away. I switched off the security cameras. No one can see in, and the whole place is locked up tight.”

“Only if we get caught.” That seems to be the theme of whatever it is that’s happening between us. Don’t get caught. Don’t let him catch you.

His fingers briefly caress the contraceptive patch on my hip. “What’s this for?”

“Birth control,” I gasp with my head thrown back. “Hm. Ever thought about taking it off?”

Accidentally getting pregnant by Cullan and him adoring my changing body while he becomes even more protective of me.

“I’ll tell you, but whatever you do, don’t run. Or I won’t be able to resist chasing you.”

“But I kind of want you to know I’m crazy, Elena.”

“I can feel you’re so close. I’ve got you. Let me hear those beautiful cries.”

Shock fills Elena’s face at the same time her climax slams into her. She’s torn between the pleasure that has an iron grip imprisoning her body, and the realization that she’s heard these words before.

“I wondered if my beard bristles might give me away, but I think you were enjoying yourself too much to notice.”

I seize hold of her ankles, and growl, “I warned you. Don’t. Run.”

“It was you who came to my bed after Leon went out?”

“Because it broke my heart that you were so unsatisfied, and that Leon made you believe it was your fault. I wanted to give you the pleasure you deserved.”

“What happens if I run?” “I’ll chase you. I’ll fuck you.”

“You promised you would if I asked.” She squeezes her eyes shut. “I want to go home.”

Then finally, I’d show her the red mask, and just how swift I am at tying knots. She’d understand how much blood is on my hands, much more than she realized, and she’d still want me to put them on her body. Elena would be the first woman to see my true face, and she’d love me.

But there’s no love in her face now.

“You think because I tricked you, it means I don’t care about you? Do you think I get this crazy over just anyone? I have been alone for two years and I haven’t touched another woman. I haven’t even looked at another woman. I have been waiting for my woman. I’m jealous, I’m crazy, I definitely took things too far, but I couldn’t help myself because it’s you. I’m afraid of you seeing who I really am and losing you forever. All that time you thought I was standing there calmly being your boyfriend’s dad and then your boss?

I was losing my fucking mind over you. You think you’re not special? Special doesn’t fucking cover it. I am consumed by you, night and day, and now that I’ll never have you, I don’t know what the hell I’m going to do.”

“I know I’m a lot,” I say through gritted teeth. “Criminal. Immoral. Sinful. I’m too much. I always have been, and I always will be. I can’t change, and I’m sick of pretending, so I have to stop hoping that when I bare my heart and soul to the woman I care about, she’ll still want me.”

Keeping my gaze firmly on the cold, hard glare of the moon, I release my grip on Elena and turn away.

My hope dies in thi...

If I can’t have Elena, then there’s nothing left for ...

“I’ll take you home,” I mutter, crunching across the gravel. “I wo...

“It hurts, doesn’t it?” she asks. “Trying to be good all the time and never being enough for people. I don’t know if what I’m fighting for is even worth it. I’m so tired, Cullan.”