Page 16 of Bitter Prince

“Your old man owes me a debt.” A shadow fell on me. “Don’t damage our product, Akio.”

I blinked in confusion. The guy who tackled me—Akio—stood up while I remained on the ground, staring at three sets of eyes.

One of the goons yanked me up with a savage grip, tearing my jacket.

His palm wrapped around my neck and I wheezed, desperately trying to inhale oxygen. Unable to stop him by clawing at his arms, I kicked him in the balls, which earned me a slap across the cheek.

“Get her in the car,” the hefty guy ordered.

I thrashed, scratched, and screamed as he dragged me toward the car.Never get in the car, my mind whispered the widely known safety fact.

“Let me go,” I snarled, fighting with every ounce of strength I had. Their response was grins and smirks. “Help,” I screamed at the top of my lungs while pushing my body forward, desperate to set myself free.

Panic started to invade my lungs. My breathing became erratic. Each step closer to the car had me hyperventilating.

Through the fog in my brain and my kicking, I heard an engine. But I was too far gone to hope for someone to save me. Instead, I focused on clawing at my attackers.

“Let. Her. Go,” a familiar voice boomed behind me, a clear command shattering through the air. “First and final warning. Next time, I’ll shoot.”

All movements halted. Several heartbeats of silence, then words spoken in a language I didn’t understand. The grip on me loosened until I was completely free and gravity pulled me down. A strong arm wrapped around my waist.

“Hold on to me.”

I turned to find the boy of my dreams grasping me. My gaze lifted to his blank face, the smile I saw a week ago hiding somewhere deep and out of reach.

My hands came to his chest, my fingers clutching his dark leather jacket.

“What are you doing here, cousin?” the hefty guy asked.Cousin.This asshole was Amon’s cousin?

Amon’s expression was deadly, and if this had been our first meeting, I would have been scared of him. Luckily, I remembered the boy who saved me from his father.

“Reina’s a family friend.” Amon’s controlled words bounced off my skin, but it was worse with the three men who stared at us. It was only then that I realized Amon was pointing a gun at them.

My lips trembled but I held still, trusting Amon to know what he was doing.

“Her father owes me.” Amon’s cousin stared at me, studying me like I was an animal for sale. I didn’t like it.

“Not anymore.”

His cousin laughed dryly. “You don’t get to call those shots.”

“Unless you want me to end you right here and now, I’d suggest you forget about Reina and the debt.”

The cousin tilted his head, studying Amon intently. My fists clenched, wanting to punch the stranger in the face. I didn’t like that look.

“Maybe I will. On one condition.”

I could feel Amon’s muscles tense, but his expression never changed. “Being?”

“You work for me.”

10

AMON, 20 YEARS OLD

My fucking cousin.

I hated his guts and I swore as I watched him drive away that I would murder him before my time on this earth was over.