Page 104 of While He Breathes

“Keep still,” Lucas snaps through gritted teeth as he reaches for his belt. “This will hurt less if you stop fighting it.”

I cry out, my fight-or-flight instincts kicking in as I thrash against his hold with everything I have. Heavy sobs tear from my chest, but it doesn’t stop me from fighting with every single ounce of energy I have.

“Get the fuck off me,” I howl. “You disgusting piece of shit.”

“Shut your whore mouth.” His bloody hand covers my mouth, and I clench my mouth shut, fighting the urge to bite him. I have no idea what diseases his blood could have, and I don’t think the risk is worth the reward in this instance.

He tears the flimsy panties from my body, the snap of the fabric barely registering over the blood rushing through my ears.

He leans down, his entire body pressing mine into the carpet and rendering me completely useless. “I’m going to ruin you, Ember.”

I press my eyes closed and try to find the happy place I’ve heard women can find when their body is being taken against their will, but no matter how hard I try, I’m stuck in this chapel with a man I hate about to do unspeakable things to me.

A rough cry chokes out of me as the fight begins to leave my body, but a moment later, his weight is gone.

It takes a few seconds for my mind to catch up with my body, but I don’t believe the sight in front of me.

Maybe I found that happy place after all.

CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE

ORION

Idon’t think I believed the term seeing red was an actual thing until I saw Ember fighting against Lucas with everything she has.

Max and I sprint across the street, our legs taking us as quickly as they can, but it’s too slow.

The glass doors are a window into the hell my girl is going through, and it doesn’t seem to matter how hard I try. I can’t get to her quickly enough.

This is like one of those fucking nightmares, except I’m very much awake, and my entire life is about to be violated right in front of my eyes.

Ember’s body slumps against the ground, and for a moment, I worry he’s knocked her out, but then I notice the way her fingers move against the razor blade in her hand.

Blood covers them both, but I can’t tell who it belongs to.

I tear the door open and immediately tackle Lucas to the ground, my vision blurred by the rage pumping through my veins.

He’s deserved death for years, but right now, I think death might be too kind a fate for his sins. He deserves to perish, to hurt, tobleed,for what he’s done to my little flame.

I’m vaguely aware of Max gathering Ember against his chest and Killian dragging Cain out from behind the altar, a fresh black eye blooming, but I’m too far gone as I slam my fists into Lucas’s face over and over again.

“You dared to fucking touch her,” I roar. “You put your filthy fucking hands on my woman and thought you’d live to tell the tale.”

“You’re dead,” he wheezes.

A feral chuckle escapes me as I slam another fist into his cheek. “You think a bomb is enough to wipe me off this planet? You think it’s enough to take me from my woman?”

Hands grasp my shoulders and tug me up.

I turn on them, ready to show them the same treatment Lucas just received, but instead find Killian standing in front of me.

He holds on to me, shaking me to drag my attention away from killing Lucas. “We have to get out of here. The cops are on their way.”

“He needs to die,” I growl.

“We’ll take them both with us. But we have to go. We have to get Ember out of here.”

The sound of her name has my head whipping around to where Max is cradling her. Her head is buried in his chest as her body heaves with rough sobs that break my heart.