Burn (Virtues & Lies 1)

Chapter 15

Leo

The fury clawing at my insides is barely containable. Fuck, I’m not containing it, I’m holding so tightly on to it that when I find my cunt of a dad and cousin, I’m going to flay them alive. I’ll peel their skin layer by layer, slowly. Limb by limb, until they’re in the hell I’m in.

Listening to Francis when Kit was left for dead was my biggest motherfucking mistake. Fuck the plan, I should’ve hunted them down and drowned them like the fucking vermin they are.

This wouldn’t be happening right now. We wouldn’t be here; my Buttercup wouldn’t be bleeding. She wouldn’t be hurt and scared. None of this would have touched her.

“Leo!” Christopher is chasing behind me, but I’m on auto-pilot and the only thing that matters right now is getting Cassie out of here. Making sure she’s okay. “Stop!”

Fuck you! Fuck all of you for doing this to her. My beautiful little flower.

“Don’t make me hurt you,” he shouts. When I ignore him, he shoots the ground, as if to make a point.

Whimpering, Cassie tightens her arms around me in the semi darkness.

“It’s okay, I won’t let anyone hurt you.” I vow into her bloodied hair and tighten my hold to the point my muscles hurt.

This may be the only vow I ever make her, but it’s the only one that will ever matter.

I will never let her down on that front again. That’s the vow I make myself, as I step to the side avoiding Francis.

It’s a good thing the platform is level with the rusted tracks, because I can’t put her down. Letting her go isn’t something I can do right now, not when I’m not certain she’s fine. Or when she’s the pin that’s stopping me from blowing.

Cassie’s shivering violently, and I curse myself for not having a coat or a jacket, anything to wrap her in. I just have my arms and they’re not enough.

Pausing as Arabella steps in front of me with Fleur and two of Wayne’s men, I take no comfort from the remorseful look on her face.

“Move, Bella.”

“Leo.” She’s looking at me with tears in her eyes and pity.

Fuck her pity and remorse.

“I. Said. Move.” Snarling at her, I hate myself a little more as her tears roll down her cheeks. She’s my friend, I don’t want to hurt her, but my priority right now is the girl in my arms. “Get out of my way. Please.”

She doesn’t, and I have no idea what to do because I have two fucking hench blokes blocking my only way out behind her.

“Give her to me!” Christopher’s yell is full of desperation and guilt.

“Cassie?” Fleur steps between us and strokes the least bloody bit of her hair. “There’s so much blood.” She whispers, looking up at me askance.

“It’s not hers.”

“Good.” Her breath rushes out of her with relief. “Babe?”

“I want to go now.” Cassie says so low that it’s barely audible.

“Okay,” Fleur whispers, stroking the top of Cassie’s thigh, and shuddering when Cassie cringes. Fleur’s eyes widen at the blood on her fingers, because that is Cassie’s.

It’s still warm and clotting on her skin.

“Give me my sister, now!” Christopher growls as he rounds us and tries to pry Cassie from me.

Not going to happen.

“Give her to me.”