Page 71 of Claimed By the Villain

I look at the phone in my hand, debating whether to call Jackie. I want to, my controlling nature wants to know why the hell she’s taking so long, but something tells me not to tighten the rope around her neck too much, too soon. Jackie’s not the sweet, obedient girl I thought she was when I first proposed our little marriage of convenience. She’s fiery, headstrong, andbows to no one. And fuck me if that combative streak doesn’t make me hard as steel.

Besides, if something had happened to her, the bodyguard would’ve called me.

As if my thoughts echo into reality, my phone rings, and when I see the initial of the man assigned to protect her, I’m grabbing my car keys and heading for the door before I even answer.

“Boss, a woman came after your girlfriend. Waiting for your orders.”

“What happened?”

“She can tell you in detail. She’s pretty shaken now that the adrenaline’s worn off.”

“Is Jackie hurt?”

“No.”

“Take her to my second apartment in New Jersey. I’ll meet you there. Don’t take your eyes off her.”

“I won’t, Lucifer. You have my word. But maybe you should send someone to the association. My priority was getting your woman out, and since I was alone, I moved her as fast as possible, which means whoever went after her got away.”

“You’re telling me you took Jackie to that damn association alone?”

“Yes, I—”

I want to rip his head off with my bare hands, but right now, I depend on him to protect the most precious thing in my life.

“I’ll have someone check who was there. For now, take her where I told you. No one gets in until I arrive. If anyone shows up who isn’t me, shoot.”

“Anyone?”

I think of Beau, who’s in New Orleans by now. He’s the only one who knows about this second safe house besides my bodyguards.

“Anyone.”

As I drive to meet her in the neighboring city, I live up to the demon’s name I’ve inherited.

I usually keep things quiet. It’d be stupid to draw the authorities’ attention to me, though I’ve got a few of them on my payroll.

Still, most of the time, I’m invisible. Not today.

I slam the accelerator to the floor, pushing it to the limit, as if that could somehow make the car move faster.

In my mind, all I can see is that I’ve failed, trusting that idiot head of security would never take her out alone.

My brain is running faster than the car, playing a short film of everything we’ve shared over the last few days, followed by the possibility of losing her to someone out for revenge against me.

Behind the wheel, I feel like a caged animal, my heart pounding against my ribs, images of her in danger, or what could’ve happened if they’d taken her, flooding me.

Yeah, I’d kill every last one of them, but it wouldn’t bring her back to me.

The city blurs past. My focus is on getting there fast enough to see with my own eyes that she’s unharmed.

Maybe later I’ll feel fear over the risk Jackie faced, but right now, I’m filled with nothing but pure, burning hatred for whoever tried to take her from me.

Carlile said it was a woman who went after Jackie, but I don’t believe she’s my hidden enemy. She was bait, most likely.

The phrase“thirst for vengeance”has never been more fitting.

“I’m coming for you, you son of a bitch. And you’re going to pay for today, for even turning your attention to her.”