Page 12 of Thorns of Silence

“I don’t have a fucking clue why I’m here. This guy cornered me and pulled my tooth, threatening to chop my tongue off for no reason.”

I kicked him in the ribs. “There is a reason,” I gritted. “Everything I do is for a reason, and you, fucker, have been seen making fun of a deaf girl.”

I didn’t question my disdain at this or how my chest squeezed when I saw the look on Phoenix's face when she noticed the guys making fun of her.

For that, I kicked him again. He’d be out of commission once I was done with him.

“Fucker,” he coughed.

So I punched him again and again.

My anger simmered through my veins. I shouldn’t be teetering on the edge, not after killing Roberto, the guy who slipped a roofie to Reina. But I was ready to explode, and I had no doubt that making it so this fucker’s face was unrecognizable would take the edge off.

Ghost got up off the guy’s back, then leaned back against the tree, folding his arms while I wentberserk. He tapped his pocket and retrieved a smoke.

“Let me try to help you.” Ghost, who was watching the whole scene with unabashed excitement, flicked the ashes of his cigarette on the ground. “You should never piss off Dante. You might want to show some manners and apologize for being an ass to his girl.”

My girl.

In the dark corner of my mind, shadows whispered.Take her. Make her yours. Sheisyours.

Fuck, I had to keep my shit together. It never boded well for anyone when I was agitated or stressed. I had to keep my rage in check before shit hit the fan.

As if sensing the anger rolling off me, Erik lifted his head, eyeing me warily. He got up on all fours, his face and eyes swollen. He released a muffled groan, then mumbled something I had to lean in to hear.

“Fuck… you… and your mute… deaf… stupid… girl…”

I kicked him in the ribs, relishing his grunt full of pain. “She’s not mute, you asshole. She lost her hearing. It’s two different things.”

How did I know? I looked it up, and so should this fucker.

He spat blood. “Whatever.”

Ghost snickered. “You’re pretty ballsy.”

“But not very smart and certainly not nice. Did Mamma not teach you that bullying is wrong?” I swung my hand through the air and drove it straight into his cheek. He fell to the ground, motionless, his body sprawled at an awkward angle.

“Maybe we can pull out all his teeth and burn his eyeballs,” I stated pensively, flicking a dark look at Ghost. “You up for making this guy toothless?”

Something savage passed Ghost’s expression, but before he could answer, our blond friend whimpered, his eyes wide with fear. “No, no. Please.”

I shared a look with Ghost, letting my lips curve into a menacing grin.

“How about you explain why you mocked my girl and tell me how you’re going to make it up to her, and I’ll consider letting you live to see another day.”

“I… she…” He strained to speak, but I didn’t give two shits. “I didn’t know she had a boyfriend.”

Phoenix Romero didn’t have a boyfriend. If she did, he’d be dead. Why? Because she felt like mine. Because my cock responded to her and nobody else. That had to count for something. It was a fucking sign.

“She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s…” I trailed off, the corners of my lips tugging up. “But she’s unavailable for anyone else.”

Shock flared on his face. “You… You’re crazy.”

He had no fucking idea.

I kicked him before reaching for my own cigarette, lighting it, then putting it in my mouth and letting it hang loosely. I never used to smoke, not until two years ago, and since then, it’d become a habit.

“My time is valuable.” Correction: I wanted to go see my woman before hitting the sheets. “Let us hear it.”