Page 20

We met in the dining room once Leighton had cleaned himself up and put some clothes on. He was much more subdued when he took a seat in the chair closest to the doorway. Joey hadn't appeared since we'd arrived. I assumed he was looking after Victoria since Az made it clear Leighton's little sexcapade had been broadcast over the intercom. Deciding I'd check in with him later, I quickly filled Az and Leighton in on what we'd uncovered about the attack on Temptat!on before dismissing Leighton for his hunt.

"Leave us, will ya?" I asked Craig before turning my attention to Az.

His body shook with barely contained rage. His temper had only risen closer to the surface as I filled them in on finding Matteo Greco among the dead.

"I thought I told you to get your shit under control." I started.

"You didn't spend six months in jail only to have Leighton push every goddamn button you have." He seethed.

"Don't give me that bullshit, Az. Leighton's done far worse and not gotten this kind of rise out of you."

"She set me up." He said through gritted teeth. "Leighton has never fucked the enemy because hewantedto and then rubbed it in my face before."

Rubbing my hands over my face, I sighed. "Shit's not adding up the way it should if she was behind all this, Az. I know you see that. So either we're wrong, or we need to work harder to get close to the Princess. Either way, throwing your fists around like a fucking neanderthal isn't going to get us any closer to the truth."

"Is that all?" Az snapped.

"Yeah, I guess that is. For now." I replied, rising from my seat to find Joey and bring him up to speed.

Az stalked upstairs to his room as I approached the suite entrance. I knocked softly so as not to startle the occupants inside.

"Joey, it's me," I said, knowing there wouldn't be anyone else he'd answer the door for if things had gone down like I imagined. A few moments later, the door cracked slightly.

"Keep your voice down, bro. She only just went to sleep a bit ago." His voice was barely above a whisper as he spoke. I took in the expression on his face and sighed softly. He was struggling with himself. Jealousy and anger creased his brow slightly, but there was a tenderness in his eyes that I'd never seen before.

"She okay? He didn't–"

"No, the bruises won't last long. He was strangely gentle with her…. Physically. She's pretty fucked up emotionally and mentally right now, though. What he did crossed several lines, Rich." He stepped outside and shut the door carefully. He acted almost as if there were a sleeping child on the other side.

"It's not like this is out of character for him, Joey. The most unusual part about it is that she doesn't need a doctor." I crossed my arms over my chest. Everyone was getting tied up in knots over Victoria Bristol, and it was becoming a fucking problem. Anger flashed across Joey's face.

"Youdidn't see how I found her, Rich. You didn't see how she looked when he fucked her and left her behind to deal with the aftermath alone. The fucking bruises aren't the problem." He stopped after a second, looking at the ground, his hands balled into fists at his side. "We're doing more harm here than good, bro. I'm not sure how much of our world she'll be able to take before she breaks." His voice was soft like he talked more to himself than me.

I wasn't really sure how to respond. I put a hand on his shoulder, trying to be encouraging. "We'll get it all sorted out, Joey. At least she's alive, right?" He didn't seem convinced."Well, I sent Leighton hunting with explicit instructions to not come back until he's done. That should let some of the tension clear up for a little while. Try to get some sleep, okay?"

"Yeah. I'll see you in the morning, bro." He said, turning to go back into the suite. I arched a brow at him. "I promised," was all he said before shutting the door behind him.

I ran my hand through my hair and headed to my room. I needed sleep as the adrenaline from the evening was fading and leaving me feeling sluggish. Everyone was losing their fucking minds, except me and Craig. I just hoped we could get to the bottom of this before Victoria Bristol tore us apart.

CHAPTER TEN

Victoria

Sunlight streamed through the windows across my face, and I groaned unhappily as it pulled me from unconsciousness. I lay there a while, enjoying the haze between sleeping and waking. I tried to stretch, and the protests from my body jolted me fully awake. I looked down at myself, at the bruises on my hips that peeked out from the hem of my PJ shorts. My scattered mind searched for the details of what happened. It returned a memory of me screaming my climax, and I stretched my limbs again, enjoying that sweet, sore feeling.

Carefully swinging my legs over the edge of my bed, I spotted Joey sitting in the chair he'd moved by my door, with another chair jammed under the doorknob. His long limbs were in awkward, uncomfortable positions as he slept. He was slouched with his head drooped forward. At that moment, the rest of the night's events rushed back with the fury of a hurricane. The shooting at the club, running for my life, watching Az listen to Leighton and me, and hearing him stalk through the house like a man possessed with a singular obsession. And afterward, how Joey had so gently cared for me when my mind shut down, how sweetly he'd promised to stay and keep me safe.

I reached for my phone to check the time, not sure how long I'd been out after my brain shut off for the night, not turning tolook until my hand came up empty from its usual place on my nightstand. I played the night before again in my mind, realizing I didn't have it on me when we escaped from the bar. I groaned and rubbed my hand over my face. Getting a replacement would be difficult because Rich insisted I didn't leave the manor.

Joey roused at the sound I made, his eyes snapping open and tracking to my spot on the bed immediately.

"You okay, Sweetheart?" He said, his brow creased with worry. He stretched and shifted awkwardly in the chair.

"I'm fine, Joey. I just lost my phone." I shrugged as I stood, grimacing as a knot in my back protested. He gave me a quick once over with an arched brow before deciding against whatever he was going to say. "I just don't want to deal with your brother to get a replacement."

"I can take you to get one." He said brightly, seeming to perk up. I smiled at his cheerfulness. It was a breath of fresh air compared to all the dick-swinging that usually occurred in the house.

"Rich is gonna shoot that idea down the minute it comes out of your mouth," I said, padding over to my closet to find something to wear to cover all my bruises.