Page 46 of Tangled Lies

The blood ran over her hand, dripping over his pants. She shifted her stance and stood closer to him, Knox’s hands still holding the guy pinned by his shoulders.

“Hasn’t anyone ever told you that if you can’t handle the punishment you shouldn’t have done the crime?” she asked him.

I wasn’t sure, but the guy had a that glazed look like he was going to pass out. I reached out and slapped him.

“Answer the lady,” I said, leaning back against the counter.

“Fuck you. You’re just a tool to be used,” he said, his words holding more bite than I would have expected for a man who was growing more and more pale with every ounce of blood flowing down the drain.

What had me at the edge of the counter, watching with far more interest than a Barone heir should have had in any woman, was the way that mask of hers dropped completely. She shifted closer. I wanted to reach out and hold her back. Jealousy? I wanted her to look at me, not this asshat.

“Maybe I am a tool, but at least I’m not a corpse.”

Before any of us could stop her, she stabbed the knife into his neck.

The bathroom was silent except for the gurgles of the guy’s drowning screams.

Talon broke the silence first.

“Shit, princess. Twist the blade and make sure he bleeds out faster,” Talon said, coming up to help her with the knife.

“Pretty girl, you look fucking hot right now,” Jett said from the doorway.

Her chest was moving rapidly as she pulled away her bloody hands. Knox moved before she could pass out and pulled her into his arms before he helped her stand and move to the sink.

I watched as she let another of my brothers touch her. Jett first. I couldn’t stop him anyway, but him getting attached? Knox now taking care of her? Why was it that any plan with her never seemed to go as expected?

Karma hated her. She was cursed to be my wife. The car accident hadn’t done her any more favors. And since then? I’d watched her over the years because she was too close to that shit Harrington. He’d pissed off the family by killing one of our lawyers, but then to have stolen someone that was ours?

Watching Knox help her wash her arms as she had that first kill kind of wonder on her face, my heart ached like it suddenly showed up to the party.

Jealousy wasn’t the right word. My boys were my family. My chosen brothers. We were together through thick and thin. I’d die before I hurt them, and I was never willing to be without them. Maybe that was the original reason I’d never gone into detail about the arranged marriage. A woman would have been nothing but a problem for me.

I shook my head clear.

“Do wives usually need to be tested?” Talon asked.

I narrowed my gaze.

“Who said she’s a wife?”

He shrugged.

“I think at this point what else can she be? Protecting some girl is a bit harder than it is to just marry her. Jett here is willing,” Talon said.

Jett practically shoved his way into the bathroom.

“Please, can we keep her, Ronnie? Please?” Jett asked.

I looked at my watch. One problem at a time.

“Anyone got a status on Carrow?”

“Detained. Turns out pussy was a little more entertaining than saving his so-called fiancée,” Talon said as he pulled his phone out. “Scratch that. He was detained. Get her cleaned up. Carrow seems to be a premature kind of guy and is already done with the distraction.”

I studied her in the mirror while Knox grabbed a towel to help dry off. When I thought she’d take a bit to process what happened, she proved me wrong. Her eyes met mine through the mirror.

“Can we circle back to what Talon said?” she asked.