Page 111 of Blood and Thorns

Shame I wasn’t finished. Holding the bloodied knife out to Caden, I reached into my inner jacket pocket and grabbed the smelling salts.

Cracking the capsule, I shoved it inside Anton’s nose. He came awake with a jerk.

“Tell me about the bouncer,” I demanded, holding his jaw in a bruising grip. I didn’t care that I was being coated with blood, the coppery tang mingling with ammonia and puke. “Was he named Miles?”

Caden’s gaze burned, but I refused to look away from Anton.

A frantic nod. “He helped me get inside and then told me he’d get her there. That’s it, man, I’ve never met him before tonight,” he swore, voice fraught with desperation.

I nodded, reaching down to grab the withering remains of his dick. “You really shouldn’t have touched what’s mine.” I shoved the cock down his throat, letting him choke.

Caden winced, shaking his head. “That means it’s our man Morris’s turn.”

Morris was still on his hands and knees, his head hanging between his arms. On hearing his name he scrambled onto his arse, sliding back until he hit the wall.

“Please… don’t do this.” He held up his hands, as if that would stop Caden from yanking him up and holding the same knife that had just cut Anton’s cock off to his throat.

“Why did you give Arabella a drug-laced drink?” I asked, my muscles aching from how tight I held myself back.

“Because that’s all she’s good for,” he sneered, a drop of blood dripping down the column of his throat.

“You’re such a weird cunt,” Caden sneered. “Honestly, who the fuck would set up their own daughter?”

“People have been talking, saying you’ve been a little possessive.” Morris tried to swallow, but struggled. “I thought her being hurt might bring you closer, that’s all.”

“How much of this do you believe?”Caden asked, reverting back to French when he wanted the conversation to be private.

“I believe she would do anything to help her father.”The thought angered me.

“You think she knew of his plan?”

Her pain at the realisation of what Morris had done had been real.“No.”

Caden nodded, pressing the blade deeper.

“Wait, wait!” Morris cried. “If you do this, she’ll never forgive you.”

I’ll never forgive you.

Her threat meant little to me, and yet I stopped Caden.

“What the fuck, Bas?” He kicked at Morris, who collapsed back on his knees.

“Come near Arabella again,” I warned, reaching for the discarded hammer. “And I’ll make sure your screams will beremembered.” I brought it down on his right hand, the same hand that likely poured the drug into her drink.

Morris screamed, but I kept bringing it down until his hand was nothing. Each finger shattered beyond repair.

I left him there, needing to return home and make sure Arabella was safe. Caden chased me into the hall, the twins moving in to clean up behind. “Bas, stop!”

I turned, grabbing Caden and shoving him against the wall. “If you have something to say, say it.”

“You should’ve killed him. He publicly insulted you by hurting Ara.” Caden’s eyes darkened with frustration. “She really influences you this much?”

I pushed away from the wall before I did something volatile, like hit him.

“What the fuck are you doing with her, Bas? Is she really just your toy, or is she more?”

“More.” There was no hesitation. She’d been more to me since the first time I set my eyes on her. It just took me a while to realise.