Page 6 of Cruel Possession

As Ellie steps back into the room, her glare burns a hole in the side of my head, but I don’t give a shit.

It’s time Summer and Jade learn how things work around here.

Jade tips her chin up, still glaring, not so much as flinching.

I’ve been far too lenient with them, and that ends today.

“Outside. Now.”

A smile curls at the corner of her mouth as she spins and walks through the kitchen and out the back door.

I follow behind her, cracking my knuckles.

It’s been a long time since I sparred with anyone other than Royce or Sean.

Jade bounces around on the balls of her feet, looking like this is what she was waiting for. And knowing her, it probably was.

Skyla clamps a hand around my bicep, hauling me back. “I don’t know what the hell you think you’re doing, but you’re not going to fight her.”

I whip around to face her. “Get your fucking hand off me. Now.”

She holds on tighter. “This isn’t what you called us here to talk about.”

“You’re right, it isn’t. But since none of you seem to think that you have to defer to me anymore, this is the point we’re at, and it needs to end now.”

Breaking free from her, I stride across the yard, stopping a couple of feet from Jade.

Mischief shines in her eyes, but there’s something darker there, too. An aggression that bubbles just beneath the surface. Anger that she’s been holding onto for far too long.

The rest of the family gathers on the deck, none of them saying a word to each other.

The yard is silent as Jade stops bouncing. She stands tall, her hands hanging loose at her sides.

“Going to hit me?” Her tone is mocking as she steps closer to me. “Because that’s what you do now when someone pisses you off, isn’t it? You hit them. Beat them into submission.”

“You want to do what you want? Show me that you can handle yourself. Beat me at a fight. Prove to me that you can paradeyourself out there without any of my men to protect you. Without the people I pay to kill or die to keep you safe, and you wouldn’t even blink if they lost their lives instead of you, to defend you, so long as you could keep partying.”

Jade laughs. “You say that like I haven’t been taking care of myself for years. You barely give a shit about us. I don’t even know who you are anymore.”

I swing.

If she’s going to protect herself out in the real world, she needs to be ready at all times. Enemies don’t give heads up. And I trained her myself, so I hope she still remembers that.

Though I pull my punch a little, I won’t go soft on her because that would do her a disservice. If she is going to be able to defend herself in the real world, she needs to know what is waiting for her out there. The pain, the low blows, the cheap shots.

My fist catches her in the mouth, and her head snaps to the side.

She laughs and spits a mouthful of blood to the ground. “Is that the best you’ve got?”

I don’t want to kill her or hurt her more than I need to teach her a lesson, but I want to remind her of why she needs me and this family.

She needs to know life is not easy out there alone, even if she thinks she can take care of herself.

Jade brings her hands up in front of her face, light on her feet.

Her fist darts out, and I block it easily. Before I even move a muscle, pain blossoms and spreads when the heel of her boot catches me straight in the fucking cock.

I drop to the ground, and she’s on me.