forward, seizing Vinemont around the chest and slamming him into the marble floor. The other guests, smelling blood, stopped their small chatter and watched the show.
“Dylan, stop.” I stood and stepped toward them, but they both ignored me.
Vinemont laughed as Dylan caged him with his knees and started raining blows on his face. Vinemont wasn’t blocking them, just taking the vicious hits until he saw his moment. Then he aimed a powerful fist to Dylan’s ribs. Dylan wailed and fell sideways, clutching his side. Vinemont pushed Dylan onto his back and put a knee on his chest before raising his fist.
“No. Please, don’t.” I grabbed Vinemont’s arm. I knew what he could do, what he was capable of. “Don’t.”
He turned to me, his eyes wild and wrathful. I let go of his arm and ran my hand down his face, brushing my thumb over his split lip. His flesh burned beneath my touch, but his eyes cooled and he leaned into my palm the slightest bit. I felt it then, the one thing I wished had completely died that night when he’d shown me how truly alone I was. The string that bound us together, the inexorable link that ran from his heart to mine, came back to life. The connection tightened, and he rose as Dylan sputtered. Vinemont took my hand in his and leaned over me. He was so close. Everything stopped. My eyes closed of their own accord and I wanted his kiss, his blood, him. I just wanted him.
“Fuck, Sin. If you aren’t going to finish it, I will.”
I opened my eyes to see Lucius aiming a kick at Dylan’s side. “Stop!”
Too late. Dylan howled with pain as Lucius’ foot connected. I dropped to my knees and draped my arm across Dylan as he curled into a ball. I held my free hand up, trying to ward off Lucius.
Lucius straightened his coat and smiled. “Lesson of the day, Dylan. Don’t fuck with us or our property.”
“She’s not property.” Dylan coughed and rolled to his back.
The chatter started again, the momentary blood sport at an end.
“She’s mine, you little shit. That’s all you need to know.”
“Ignore him. Come on.” I helped Dylan into a sitting position. “Are you okay?” I felt along his ribs and he winced. They could have been broken for all I knew. “Can you walk?”
“I-I think so.”
Lucius stepped over Dylan’s legs to stand at my side and peered down at me. “Come on, Stella.”
I glared at him, acid in my gaze. “No! Back off, Lucius.”
I hitched my hand under Dylan’s arm to try and help him to his feet, but a searing pain along my scalp had me crying out. Lucius wrenched me from the floor by my hair and brought my face to his.
“You will do as I say, Stella. Every—fucking—time.” His eyes flashed and his voice was thick with malice.
I spat in his face, anger flowing up through me like lava. “Fuck you.”
“Enough,” Vinemont growled, and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me away from Lucius. I dug my fingers into him and tried to pry his hand loose. His mouth was at my ear. “Stop making a scene. Stop making us have to hurt you.”
I stilled against his chest, but scowled at Lucius. He drew out his kerchief and popped it before wiping his face. He smiled as he did it, as if enjoying some private joke.
Everything had turned into a fight. More blood, more pain—I was awash in the cruelest of emotions, and in a few days, things would only get worse.
Dylan struggled to his feet, his breath coming in quick pants. I wanted to go to him, but I didn’t. Vinemont’s strong arms had me rooted to the spot.
Cal and Marguerite emerged from amongst the fronds and fountains, laughing politely. Dylan smoothed his jacket and shot Lucius a dark look before turning to his mother.
“How was it?” he asked.
“The orchid? Glorious,” Marguerite simpered. “Makes me think of having the greenhouse at the Acres rebuilt.”
Cal gave a slight bow and handed Marguerite off to Dylan, who smiled despite what must have been an aching pain in his ribs
“Dylan, stop.” I stood and stepped toward them, but they both ignored me.
Vinemont laughed as Dylan caged him with his knees and started raining blows on his face. Vinemont wasn’t blocking them, just taking the vicious hits until he saw his moment. Then he aimed a powerful fist to Dylan’s ribs. Dylan wailed and fell sideways, clutching his side. Vinemont pushed Dylan onto his back and put a knee on his chest before raising his fist.
“No. Please, don’t.” I grabbed Vinemont’s arm. I knew what he could do, what he was capable of. “Don’t.”
He turned to me, his eyes wild and wrathful. I let go of his arm and ran my hand down his face, brushing my thumb over his split lip. His flesh burned beneath my touch, but his eyes cooled and he leaned into my palm the slightest bit. I felt it then, the one thing I wished had completely died that night when he’d shown me how truly alone I was. The string that bound us together, the inexorable link that ran from his heart to mine, came back to life. The connection tightened, and he rose as Dylan sputtered. Vinemont took my hand in his and leaned over me. He was so close. Everything stopped. My eyes closed of their own accord and I wanted his kiss, his blood, him. I just wanted him.
“Fuck, Sin. If you aren’t going to finish it, I will.”
I opened my eyes to see Lucius aiming a kick at Dylan’s side. “Stop!”
Too late. Dylan howled with pain as Lucius’ foot connected. I dropped to my knees and draped my arm across Dylan as he curled into a ball. I held my free hand up, trying to ward off Lucius.
Lucius straightened his coat and smiled. “Lesson of the day, Dylan. Don’t fuck with us or our property.”
“She’s not property.” Dylan coughed and rolled to his back.
The chatter started again, the momentary blood sport at an end.
“She’s mine, you little shit. That’s all you need to know.”
“Ignore him. Come on.” I helped Dylan into a sitting position. “Are you okay?” I felt along his ribs and he winced. They could have been broken for all I knew. “Can you walk?”
“I-I think so.”
Lucius stepped over Dylan’s legs to stand at my side and peered down at me. “Come on, Stella.”
I glared at him, acid in my gaze. “No! Back off, Lucius.”
I hitched my hand under Dylan’s arm to try and help him to his feet, but a searing pain along my scalp had me crying out. Lucius wrenched me from the floor by my hair and brought my face to his.
“You will do as I say, Stella. Every—fucking—time.” His eyes flashed and his voice was thick with malice.
I spat in his face, anger flowing up through me like lava. “Fuck you.”
“Enough,” Vinemont growled, and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me away from Lucius. I dug my fingers into him and tried to pry his hand loose. His mouth was at my ear. “Stop making a scene. Stop making us have to hurt you.”
I stilled against his chest, but scowled at Lucius. He drew out his kerchief and popped it before wiping his face. He smiled as he did it, as if enjoying some private joke.
Everything had turned into a fight. More blood, more pain—I was awash in the cruelest of emotions, and in a few days, things would only get worse.
Dylan struggled to his feet, his breath coming in quick pants. I wanted to go to him, but I didn’t. Vinemont’s strong arms had me rooted to the spot.
Cal and Marguerite emerged from amongst the fronds and fountains, laughing politely. Dylan smoothed his jacket and shot Lucius a dark look before turning to his mother.
“How was it?” he asked.
“The orchid? Glorious,” Marguerite simpered. “Makes me think of having the greenhouse at the Acres rebuilt.”
Cal gave a slight bow and handed Marguerite off to Dylan, who smiled despite what must have been an aching pain in his ribs
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