A Promise of Torment (A Violent Agenda)

I place my hand around her delicate neck and pull her to me, tasting the salty sweat on her lips. She smells earthy and fragrant at the same time.

When I release her, she’s staring at me with a mix of lust and annoyance.

“Of course I own you. Do as I say and maybe I’ll fuck you again.”

She glares and I chuckle. The kitten is adorable when she shows her claws. I push her away and walk toward the men’s changing room. My luck is severely lacking when Duke is waiting when I come out of the shower.

He’s in his preppy clothes, leaning against the lockers. It takes everything not to roll my eyes. It wouldn’t do to upset the boy. I turn around and open my locker.

“I think we need to sort this out,” he says, burning a hole into the back of my head.

I look over my shoulder at him while I dry off and put on a change of clothes.

“Sure,” I say. If it makes him feel better to talk, I’m not going to stop him.

He rubs his chin as he steps forward, and then exhales sharply, an unamused smile on his face. “This is fucking harder than I thought.”

I cross my arms. “I’m listening.”

He looks at me and shrugs. “I thought you’d be a dick and you are.” I raise both brows. After a few seconds, he carries on. “But Viola wants you around and I respect her decision, even if I want to gut you where you stand half the fucking time. You tried to kill my sister but you’re a hired psycho fuck and you were just doing your job, so I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt. Especially since you saved Viola more times that I can count.”

“Right,” I say. “Is that it?”

Duke nods, corners of his mouth turned down. “Pretty much. Just don’t fucking hurt her.”

“Or?”

His eyes narrow. “Or I’ll carve you into tiny pieces and feed you to the fucking ducks.” He gives me one last glare, and then shoves his hands in his pockets and walks out.

Vice is up next, accosting me in the kitchen. He glares at me as he walks in. “What did you do to her?”

I give him a look that I reserve from my targets just before I blow their brains out. Vice suddenly looks nervous, but I’ll give him his due, he doesn’t back down or leave me alone. After half a minute, he crosses his arms.

I let out a sigh and go back to pouring myself a glass of orange juice. “We had sex,” do you have a problem with that?”

“Fucking what now?” He pales visibly, shaking his head. “Viola would never…” He stops, unfolds his arms, and runs a hand through his hair, then he looks at me. “You know she was recently sexually assaulted by my brother right?”

I raise a brow at him. “The brother you allowed to live? Yes, I know about that, and I eased her pain.” I step close, letting him see the darkness within me that would snap his neck without a second thought. Unlike Duke, Vice is weak, and he knows it. “What did you do to take her suffering away? Absolutely fuck all.”

He glares at me. “She’s not like you. Killing won’t solve this.”

I cock my head and smirk. “Boy, V is exactly like me. And trust me, killing to her is everything. If you don’t know that by now, you soon will.”

The effect is spoiled by me holding a glass of orange juice, so I do the only thing that comes naturally—I take a sip and leave the room.

Fucking schoolboys.

The fact that I’m angry enough to curse is telling in itself. I need something to focus on before I unravel. I’ve only ever let my demon take control once. Just once.

And it was enough.

I take my orange juice and head to see Quinn in her makeshift office.

“Any news on Griffin?”

She looks up, eyes darkening when she sees me. “He’s gone dark. The only possible lead I have is that his niece, Pascal Havemeyer was picked up at 7a.m. this morning outside her house.”

“Are we tracking her?”