Page 13 of Brutal Reign

He blinks, processing the question. “Who the hell are you?—”

I pull the fire axe from under my coat, reversing the grip in one fluid motion. The blunt end slams into his right knee, shattering the joint with a sickening crack that echoes off the alley walls.

He goes down screaming, clutching his destroyed leg. Before he can recover, I adjust my hold on the axe and ram the handle upward into his solar plexus. The blow drives all the air from his lungs, folding him over as he fights to breathe.

“Here’s what’s going to happen.” I crouch beside him like we’re about to have a friendly chat. “You so much as look at Lily,you’re dead. You touch her, you’re dead. You threaten her, you’re dead. You even jerk off thinking about her, and I’ll drag you into hell and take you apart piece by piece until you’re begging for death. Are we clear?”

He tries to speak, but I press the blunt end of the axe against his throat hard enough to make breathing difficult.

“Shut the fuck up, I’m not done talking.” The predator in me is fully awake now, savoring his fear. “You’re going to double her pay, pay her for overtime, holidays, all of it. And no more of this double-shift bullshit every night. Fuck it, this goes for Chloe as well and any of your female employees.”

Darren’s eyes are wide with terror. He’s finally understanding that he’s not dealing with some random customer. He’s dealing with someone much worse.

“You tell anyone about our little chat, and I’ll know. Trust me on that.” I lean closer, letting him see the cold emptiness in my eyes. “And when I come for you, it won’t be quick. I’ll make it last. Make it fucking hurt.” I stand, testing the weight of the axe in my hands. “Consider this warning a courtesy. But the next time we meet, I won’t be feeling nearly as generous.”

The axe comes down one more time, embedding itself in the concrete inches from his head. He pisses himself.

“I’ll be watching you, Darren.”

I disappear into the shadows between buildings as the full weight of my actions settles over me. I’ve beaten a man half to death to protect Hope, a woman whose life I’m supposed to end soon.

CHAPTER

SIX

HOPE

The secondI push through the door into the main bar, the noise hits me like a wave. A roar of celebration fills the air as glasses clink and people leap to their feet. I keep my head down, forcing my body to stay steady even as my hands tremble.

What just happened with Darren was worse than his usual creepy comments and wandering eyes. He was aggressive, and his words were hard and ugly.

On the way out here, I stopped in the bathroom to wipe my tears and splash cold water on my face, hoping to erase the evidence of how rattled I am. At least Darren’s left for the night. He rarely sticks around after his power trips, preferring to collect his cash and disappear.

I slip behind the bar and grab a towel, attacking the already-clean glasses with unnecessary vigor. Anything to keep my hands busy, to channel this restless energy somewhere useful.

Chloe materializes beside me, her expression furious. “What did that asshole do to you?”

“I’m fine. It was the usual bullshit. Nothing I can’t handle.” I keep my voice carefully neutral. Chloe’s already on thin ice withDarren because she’s always sassing him and standing up for me.

She has serious lady balls, which I admire, but one more confrontation and I’m worried she’ll lose her job.

Not only does she need the money as much as I do, but I’d be devastated if we didn’t work together anymore. She’s the only friend I have.

She studies my face, clearly not buying a word of it, but something in my expression must warn her off. The last thing either of us needs is more drama.

I can’t help but sneak a look for the tall, blond stranger I’d been talking to. Lukas. There’s a flicker of disappointment when I see his seat is empty.

Chloe sighs. “He left right after Darren hauled you off.”

Of course he did. That was awkward as hell for both of us. He probably thinks I’m a hot mess, or worse, that there’s something going on between me and my boss.

I press my lips together, trying to look unaffected. “No big deal,” I say, turning away to stack clean glasses. “He was just some guy.”

But that’s a lie. Beyond being ridiculously hot, there was something about him. I felt that spark of attraction. It’s something I haven’t experienced in so long that I’d almost forgotten what it felt like.

Then Darren barreled in and reduced it all to something dirty and shameful, making me feel like I’d done something wrong by enjoying a conversation with a customer.

I keep my head down for the rest of the shift, slipping into autopilot like I’ve done a hundred times before. I pour drinks, smile, chat, and clean up spilled pints when things get messy. Chloe keeps throwing me these sidelong looks, her brows drawn tight, but I refuse to meet her eyes.