The Marriage Debt (Underworld Kings)

I slowly get off him, still pointing my gun at him as I tuck my trusty knife back into my pocket. The dude seems unsure of what to do as he lies there propped up on his elbows on the floor. He clearly didn’t account for this.

“Get up,” I growl.

He does what I tell him, but not without throwing me the most daring looks. “You won’t get away with this.”

“Shut the fuck up,” I bark. “You should be happy I let you keep your fucking balls after trying to shoot her.”

“Don’t listen to him, Jill,” Nick says, completely bypassing me. “I was aiming for him. Don’t let him get into your head.”

“Do you have a fucking death wish?” I say, stepping closer again with my gun aimed at his head.

“Stop,” Jill says, and she grabs my hand.

My nostrils flare because I fucking hate his guts, but I still lower my gun for her.

“Fine. Have it your way,” Nick growls. “Easton and I will come back for you, Jill.”

“No, don’t,” she says, stepping forward even more. “I chose this to save Jasmine. I wanted to marry him.”

Nick’s eyes widen, and his fists ball. “What?”

“Please just leave …” she says. “It’s too much to explain. Just know that I’m here because of my own choice.”

The look on his face slowly begins to unravel. “I don’t—”

“Believe me,” she says, and she holds up her hand to show her ring.

He’s at a loss of words, that’s for sure.

And the sight makes me feel something I rarely feel.

Pride.

“Nick. Don’t come back for me. And tell Easton and Charlotte I’m fine. Please,” Jill says. “I don’t want you or anyone else to get hurt.”

“What about you?” he says, throwing me a glare. “You’re gonna let this fucker own you? Put a collar around your neck?”

He eyes the bunny symbol dangling from her neck, and I suddenly feel fiercely protective.

She blushes as my grip on her hand grows tighter. “You don’t get to fucking decide that for her. Now leave. I don’t give second chances so fucking count yourself lucky she likes you.”

His jaw tenses as though he’s preparing to say more, but he swallows it back down and turns around, marching off to the elevator. Our eyes connect a final time before the doors close, and all that’s left are the pools of blood and the dead bodies littering the floor.

Jill’s grip on my hand wanes as she immediately checks Max’s pulse. “He’s alive.”

I fish my phone from my pocket and call my father. “I need your help.”

Hours later

* * *

After Nick had left, I immediately secured more guards from our family connections to keep the building safe and to clean up all the dead bodies without anyone, especially the cops, seeing us.

Meanwhile, Max has been taken to the specialized clinic that doesn’t ask questions and only treats patients. I’ve been told he’ll wake up with a very sore chest, but other than that, he should be out of the danger zone.

I’ll need to call a renovator for the building as soon as possible to fix all the damage, but that part can wait until tomorrow.

Right now, I’m angry so many had to die for a single fucker with a crazy idea.

Nick really thought he could take Jill from my clutches.

No one steals my fucking bunny, no one.

After everything is done and peace has returned, at least for now, I go back to my penthouse and take a short shower to rinse off the blood. I told Jill to take a shower and then locked her up in her room so she couldn’t escape. Even though she told Nick she chose this … I still don’t trust her not to run.

When I’ve dried off and put on fresh clothes, I open her door and sit down on my couch for a much-needed rest. The silence is deafening as she exits the bedroom and goes to the kitchen without speaking a single word.

Sighing, I get up and head over to her.

She’s hovering over the kitchen counter, staring at a glass of water she hasn’t touched in a while.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

Rain begins to pitter-patter against the windows.

When she doesn’t respond, I place a hand on her shoulder, and she jolts up and down.

“I’m fine,” she replies, but her eyes show the truth her lips are hiding from me.

“Don’t lie,” I say, stepping closer so I can wrap my arms around her waist. “You don’t have to pretend to be tough with me.”

She glances at me over her shoulder with an uncertain look in her eyes as they scour over my face until they widen. She turns around between my arms and brings her hand to my face. The soft touch of her fingers on my skin silences me and makes me forget everything that just transpired.

“You’re still bleeding,” Jill murmurs.