Wicked as Lies (Wicked & Devoted #3) - Shayla Black Page 0,80

behind Cash.

Zy caught sight of her, and his eyes widened. “Tess, no!”

But it was too late. She was swinging the kettle in an arc toward his head—and he turned at the last moment, getting a whap of stainless steel right across the face. The shock of her blow had him dropping the knife. She shrieked and kicked it away, sending it clattering across her kitchen tile.

He reeled back and cursed in a groan, then swiped at his offended mouth with his thumb, glaring at her when he came away with blood. “You should not have done that.”

It was obvious he had every intention of making her sorry when he seized her arm in a cruel grip and raised a threatening fist above her face. Tessa lifted her arms in defense and braced for his angry blow.

Suddenly, he was ripped away.

Tessa opened her eyes to see Zy shoving him to the floor, straddling him with one hand around his throat. The other unleashed a series of punishing blows directly to Cash’s face. “Don’t. You. Ever. Fucking. Touch. Her. Again!”

“Zy!” She grabbed his arm to stay his punches because Cash would make good on his threat. He would press charges, and the man she loved would go to jail.

He merely shrugged her off. “He deserves this.”

She didn’t disagree, but when blood spurted from his nose and his eyes began rolling in the back of his head, she feared Zy would kill him.

“What the fuck?” someone said from the door.

Tessa looked up to find Logan running inside. Hunter was right behind him. She tugged the remnants of her blouse around her again, but it hardly mattered. The brothers were far too busy peeling a resistant Zy off Cash and shoving him back.

“Stop,” Hunter growled. “He’s down.”

“He tried to rape her. He intended to punch her.” Zy surged for Cash’s prone body again.

“Is that true?” the colonel said as he entered, his stepson, Joaquin, right behind him.

They were all looking to her for answers.

Tessa felt herself shaking all over. Everything had happened so fast… She swallowed and tried to collect herself. Finally, she managed to nod. “Y-yes.”

“He threatened her, so she called me. I came.” Zy struggled against the brothers holding him.

The colonel shook his head. “The police?”

“They told me they couldn’t help. The officer I talked to didn’t want to be fired for messing with Cash.”

She hated the catch of anger and fear in her voice, but everything that could have happened—was still happening—was melting her composure.

“Fuck,” the colonel muttered.

Zy continued to struggle against Hunter’s and Logan’s grips. “Goddamn it, let me go!”

“You’re not beating him again,” Hunter insisted.

Logan nodded. “As it is, we’ll have to perform one hell of a tap dance to keep you out of jail.”

“That’s not what I give a shit about!” Zy exploded.

He looked right at her. At once, everyone seemed to realize his concern, and they released him. Instantly, Zy charged for her, and she went running into his sheltering embrace.

He wrapped his arms around her, breathing hard and holding her so tight she could scarcely breathe. She finally felt safe. “You okay?”

“Better now. Thank you. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m glad you called me.” His restless grip roamed through her hair and sent searching touches down her back before he cupped her face and forced her to look at him. “Always call me.”

The eldest Edgington cleared his throat. “Especially if the police refused to help. Chief Broussard and I go way back. He’s going to hear from me about that shit. Is the baby all right?”

Tessa managed to nod, though she hated leaving the safety of Zy’s embrace. “She’s in her room.”

“Go see to her,” Joaquin suggested, kneeling beside Cash. “We’re going to have to call the police and the paramedics. He’s out cold.”

Oh, God…

But Tessa merely nodded, then looked back at Zy. His glance reassured her, even as he reluctantly released her.

Luckily, she found Hallie more asleep than awake in her crib. In the dark room, she smoothed her shaking hand over her baby’s back and tried to stop the tears from falling. Right now, they were stupid and useless and wouldn’t solve anything. She had to put Zy first—the way he’d done for her.

Within ten minutes, her little duplex was full of police, including the chief himself. After he bickered with the colonel for a few minutes, they finally agreed not to arrest Zy—proving the good old boys’ network still operated in this small town—and the chief promised he’d be calling Cash’s bigwig uncle to