the point that he seems to ignite with it, the flames on his arms writhing with every twitch of coiled muscle.
“Take this as a fucking warning,” Gino snarls, oblivious to the unease I feel coiling in my stomach. “You stay away from my fucking district and my girls. Next time you get cocky, I’ll pay this shithole another visit. I wonder if it’s fireproof?”
“You should find out,” Rafe goads, his smile alarming. I’m reminded of the dragon of his that I stole, a dangerous creature seconds from breathing fire. “I’ll give you the fucking match. Make sure you stay to watch.”
“Like your daddy stayed to watch your mother turn tricks for Shen just so he’d feed your ass?” Gino replies. “I bet it was quite the show. Your uncle is one cold son of a bitch, though he has nothing on your daddy. You should know that, though. Aren’t you the one who turned his ass in?”
Every ounce of color drains from Rafe’s face, enhancing the sharpness of his features—and how cold he can appear with just one look. “I don’t think you want to bring mothers into this,” he warns, his voice deeper than ever. “But the next time yours comes crawling into my bed, I’ll ask her to send you a heads-up. Now let the girl go.”
“Should I?” Gino sniffs near my neck, chuckling. “Tell me, Rafie. How is this one? She seems a little stiff, not that you have standards. I think she could make some money at my place. Maybe more… I don’t think you’d mind sharing, considering you’ve fucked every other bitch in this goddamn shithole. Will she be worth the trip? I bet your mommy was. I think my old man took a few rides on that Mexican bitch—”
Rafe lunges, and I’m too stunned to react. I’ve never seen anyone move so quickly. It’s as if he teleports to Gino, shoving him back. The man releases me with a grunt, and I stagger to keep my balance as the two men grapple. Sharing awkward glances, Gino’s thugs look on without stepping in.
And they should because the fight is painfully one-sided. The winner reveals himself near instantaneously. Rafe moves like an animal in a graceful shift of muscle to deliver a series of blows that leave Gino hunched over and clutching at his mouth. It’s clearly over.
But Rafe pivots, delivering another blow so violent it brings Gino to his knees in a spray of blood.
“Who’s the bitch now?” he snarls, delivering a kick to his side. The force knocks the other man onto his back, leaving him open for another. And another, which lands with a sickening crunch. “Who’s the fucking bitch now?”
“Fuck,” Gino groans, his eyes rolling. He tries to crawl out of range, but Rafe pins him down, crashing a fist into his lower jaw. Over and over until blood speckles the pavement.
I barely recognize the attacking figure, his hair hanging wild, his eyes gleaming, his teeth bared. He’s grunting with every blow, hunched over Gino’s limp body like a predator. A monster…
“You’re going to kill him, you fucking asshole!” One of Gino’s lackeys finally starts forward, but his face suddenly flashes a peculiar blue. Then red. The wail of sirens fills the air, adding fuel to the already hectic scene.
“Shit.” Rafe stiffens, looking up, and Gino finally moves to shove him off.
“You crazy motherfucker,” he grunts, using the curb to stand.
Rafe staggers to his feet as well, clutching at his upper thigh, too distracted by the new arrivals to keep fighting.
Those who aren’t in the process of running start to bolt as two police cruisers peel around the corner, blocking the nearest intersection. When I look back, the three men have seemingly vanished, leaving Rafe behind. But he’s already standing before me, tilting my face for his inspection. I shiver at the heat imparted by his touch as his eyes bore into mine.
“Are you alright—”
“Hannah!”
I turn to witness Mara pushing through a throng of bystanders, hurrying toward me. By the time she breaks free, Rafe has already let me go.
“Are you okay?” she asks, her bottom lip trembling. “I’m so sorry—”
“Get out of here,” Rafe commands, his gaze fixed on the police officers leaping from their vehicles to scan the crowd. “Shit.”
My heart sinks in grim agreement. One of the officers draws my notice more than the others, tall and dark-haired. Liam.
“Tony!” Rafe flags down a figure racing from the club. “Take her home,” he gently pushes Mara toward him.