Risky and Wild(39)

I suck in deep, harsh breaths, my heart pounding in my throat, my arms burning from their unnatural position behind me. Mia's dark eyes glitter as she makes another slice, her face turning peaceful in the rush of violent energy.

“Did you really think the club would accept you? You're from the other side of the law, Rentz. How long do you really think you can fool Royal? Trick him into giving you the time of day? Eventually, one or the other of you is going to realize this can't work, and then what? Hmm? Do you think he's going to let you walk away with the knowledge you have?”

Blood leaks hot and thick down my cheeks as I lay there with short, rough strands of hair scraping at my face in unfamiliar ways, my stomach bruised and tight. I aim a kick at Mia and manage to graze her shoulder with my heel.

“Apparently you're not designed for the outlaw life either,” I spit—literally spit—at her face. Mia swipes it off with an angry hand and comes at me again, the redhead circling behind her in a pair of cutoffs and a pink tank, like a well-dressed shark waiting for more blood to fall into the water. “Because only a complete idiot would attack the mayor's daughter outside of his office in broad daylight.”

Mia's knife flashes out and pops the last few buttons on my shirt, drawing a harsh laugh from her throat as she takes in the bright pink lace of my bra. The gold heart charm dangling from the center clinks against the metal as she lifts it with the tip of the knife.

“Seriously, Rentz? Is this for Royal? Do you think this is enough to keep him interested in some plain Jane bitch who works for the mayor of a Podunk town that nobody gives a shit about?”

The tip of the knife drops low, points directly at the tender flesh of my belly. There's a second there where I really and truly believe she's going to plunge it in me, kill me right then and there outside my dad's office. Instead, Mia slices a perfect red line from my bra down to my belly button as I gasp at the white hot burn of pain, breath coming in rough heaves.

“Well that Podunk mayor was at least smart enough to put security cameras on all sides of his building,” I snap as I lift my chin towards the corner of the green and white office. Something like fear passes over Mia's face before she shrugs and moves the knife to my left breast, pushing the blade just hard enough against the soft flesh to split the lace.

“Do you think I give a fuck?” she asks, and maybe she doesn't, maybe she shouldn't care? I know there's nobody watching those feeds right now. They're there more as a deterrent and on the off chance that somebody actually breaks in and somebody needs to review the footage. Later on, this little stunt could really screw Mia in the ass. Right now … she's free to do what she wants. “You're going to stay away from Royal, do you hear me? And you're not going to tell him about this, are you?” She sneers at me, her pale face going red with renewed rage. It almost matches her lipstick. I stare back at her, the feeling of wet warmth sliding down the sides of my belly, dripping to the grass beneath. My arms are starting to go numb, and I hate how helpless I feel right now. Can't use my gun. Can't use my arms. Can't fight back at all.

It's the worst feeling in the world.

“If there's anything the outlaw world hates, it's a goddamn snitch.”

She leans down into my face, her breath smelling like peppermint, a gentle floral perfume mixing with the copper scent of blood.

“Do I make myself clear?”

I hate that I have to do this, but … I nod. I'm too smart to argue with someone who's clearly insane—and who's holding a knife and the leashes of three bitchy thugs.

“Good.” Mia smiles at me as she stands up, her jeans miraculously free of grass stains. Her slender body unfolds above me like a model's. “Because next time,” she points the knife down at me and the sun glimmers off the metal, “I won't be this nice.” Mia nods to her friends. “Lift her up.”

The two girls help me up as I rush to button up my shirt, blood already staining the lavender fabric.

“Lyric?”

Mug's rough voice echoes around the corner in time with the sound of his boots and Mia and her girls are off, rushing around the back of the building and managing to disappear from sight before Royal's admittedly terrible bodyguard gets around the corner and sees me standing there, hair shorn, blood draining down my cheeks and staining my top.

“Jesus fuck!” he exclaims, turning his slow clomp into a jog. “What the hell happened?” He glances over my shoulder and then starts to move, but I reach out a hand, squeeze his muscular forearm hard enough to grab his attention. “Are you okay?” he blurts as his green eyes bug out of his head and he scrubs his free hand through his wild red hair. “Oh God, do you need to go to the hospital?”