Twisted - Esme Devlin Page 0,10

of them more breathtaking than her. Not once was I tempted, but I could only hope my four guests would be. The minute I looked into those mismatched eyes, I wanted the girl for myself.

She is already mine.

It wasn’t even the rarity of her coloring. One blue and one green. Rare, yes, but who gives an honest fuck? It was what I saw inside those eyes that had my mind racing.

It was the sweetest mix of fear and curiosity I had ever seen.

But whatever was pulling me toward her was pulling the others, too. And I wasn’t about to let that happen.

Have her fuck the giant outside.

I had laughed as I suggested it, finding myself highly amusing.

The others did, too.

Although they are the fools, because I’ve seen with my own eyes what those four men do to women. The little thing would be better off taking her chances with the giant, but I knew they wouldn’t see it like that. They’d just see it as something new and interesting. An itch they’d never even contemplated scratching before.

I’m the master of that.

So she’d fuck the big ogre in front of us. The thought of it made me uncharacteristically annoyed, but I had no intention of letting it get that far. I’d put him out of his misery—or delight, who knows—right at the last minute. Right before he could actually take what is now mine. I’d have my four associates pay her full fee, and then I’d pay for what was left of her.

The man who is Maxim’s second comes back into the room, pausing for a minute while he tries to locate his camouflaged boss. A red blob inside a red background. Fucking imbecile. Maxim that is—not the second.

I watch him like a hawk as he crosses the room and whispers something to Maxim. The pair of them are conspiring like old wives, and it’s fucking with my head.

Scraping my chair back against the hardwood, I walk over to them. “Is there a problem?”

They both take a step back from me as if I’m some deadly infection, and I watch Maxim’s expression falter. “She is…”

Spit it the fuck out.

I’m about to tell him exactly that when he manages to pull himself together.

“She is threatening to kill herself. She’s in her bed with a knife at her throat.”

I turn away from them, pretending to be frustrated. It is times such as these that I’m thankful for the godforsaken lump of metal that covers my entire face. I was never good at hiding my expression, and right now I can’t fight my smile.

She is sharp as well as pretty.

And curious, too. I saw her fear of losing her life just an hour ago with my own eyes.

Yet now, she threatens me with it. She uses it against me as if her life is no big deal?

She is playing with me, and she doesn’t even know it.

I don’t buy it for a second. I could call her bluff so easily. But I won’t do that, because the others will eat this story up like the mindless dogs they are.

Turning back to Maxim, I clear my throat. “Very well. Let me tend to my guests, and then we will talk.”

The man looks worried, but he nods his head enthusiastically enough. I return to the table where my guests are sitting. “Change of plan,” I announce. “We will return to my home tonight.”

“But what about the girl?” Leonardo snaps.

“Forget the girl. She’s in her room, suicidal. Believe me, dealing with a woman hell-bent on ending it is little fun. I have something better planned for tonight. Andrei will see to it.”

Though they grumble, each of them stands, patting themselves down to make sure their cigarettes are present and their wallets haven’t been swiped.

I gesture to Andrei to follow me with a flick of my head. “Leave one of the bikes for me. Take them home in the cars and keep them amused.”

“What do you have in mind?”

I shrug. “You can think of something. Something more fucked up than watching a girl get crushed by a giant.”

He smirks and nods his head before returning to the group.

Now, for the real business.

5

Sapphire

There are voices behind the curtain and I tighten my grip around the blade, pressing it close to my throat again. It is the only weapon I have, and it’s not even one I could use to defend myself.

Not really.

No, the blade’s only use comes in the ability to end my life, and the gamble that my