Taking Her Innocence (Killer of Kings 1)

“Like he’d tell me.”

Pepper crossed her arms over her chest. She couldn’t stay here and do nothing. “I’m not your prisoner. I can leave if I want to.”

He didn’t say anything, and he certainly didn’t look intimidated by her threat.

“You realize he’s probably off getting himself killed right now? We can’t just stay here and do nothing.”

The man scoffed. “Trust me, he can take care of himself.”

Pepper shook her head. “Not this time. Look, I’m catching a cab, and if you try and stop me I’ll scream. I can scream so loud, the entire block will hear.”

When she started to march to the street, feigning confidence, he grabbed her arm and held her back.

“Hey!”

“You’re not leaving. You can scream all the fuck you want. I’ll put you over my shoulder and tie you up if I have to.”

She was no match for this brute of a man, but she loved Viper too much to give up now.

“Can’t you do anything? Send back-up? Call him?”

He began to lead to her around the building by the arm, like she was some toddler who’d been up to no good. Her requests were in vain. “When he left last night, he was strapping enough firepower to take out a small army. If anyone needs to worry, it’s whoever pissed him off.”

This guy’s confidence in Viper’s ability gave her a measure of reassurance. It was just that she loved him so damn much. The thought of him getting killed or even hurt just to ensure she could live without looking over her shoulder was too much. Tears pricked at her eyes as he escorted her back to her hotel room.

If he’d left in the night, why wasn’t he back yet? Pepper had a really bad feeling. She needed to know before she drove herself crazy. She stood in the entrance of her suite. “Can I pay you? How much would it take for you to drive me to my old house? You’d still be babysitting me, so no harm done, right? I just need to check on Viper. I can wire you five grand in two minutes.”

He laughed without humor, not falling for her deal, and she noticed gun handles when his suit jacket shifted. The guy’s cell rang, and he turned his back to her when he answered it. “No, he’s gone, but the girl’s here.” She could hear angry garbled words coming from the phone. “Boss, you think I could stop him once he had his mind set? He wanted to go alone. Yeah, I still have the stuff. Okay, I’ll follow through.”

“What’s happening?” she asked.

“Viper’s gone rogue, so I have to clean up his shit trail, that’s what. I’ll meet you in the front. Navy SUV. Two minutes. Looks like you’re going to get your wish after all.”

Both men stormed off, leaving her alone. Pepper hoped these guys from Killer of Kings could be trusted. She needed protection. Her stepfather had killed her mother, murdered a whole news crew, and put a worldwide hit on her head. It was all for greed, and it made her sick. She wanted to forget it all—the wealth, the status, the mansion, and everything else her stepfather was ready to kill for. All she needed was Viper and a simple life far away from all this madness.

When she met the men at the front, one was waiting with the rear passenger door held open like a limo service. She tentatively sat in the leather seat, feeling nervous and uncertain. When they pulled out into the traffic, the guy she’d spoken with turned around in the passenger seat. He had a wicked grin on his face. The next moment he moved so quickly she didn’t have time to react. Pepper looked down at her leg where he’d poked her with a needle.

“Have a good sleep,” he said.

Then her eyes were too heavy to hold open.

Chapter Eleven

It didn’t take him long to get the main building that Pepper owned, and should rightfully be hers, Henshaw Corporation. The building was large, and tall, and it was still night. Crouching down, Viper quickly looked at the building and saw two guys chatting. Sutherland was a fucking waste of space. He couldn’t even hire decent men. Even though he’d hired him, it didn’t matter. The bastard was so desperate for money, he’d gone far and wide. This was the only way he was going to be able to keep Pepper safe.

This wasn’t a suicide mission—at least he hoped it wasn’t. He intended to get back home to her, but there was a chance he wouldn’t come out of this alive. One week was all he had of utter perfection. She was perfect for him. All of his life he had dreamed of someone like her, believing with all of his heart he’d never get to hold, to cherish, to love. He had gotten everything his heart desired and more, and yet he felt greedy. He wanted more time with her, but he’d gladly die if it meant she got to live a full and long life. It was the first time that he’d not been a selfish bastard, and that in itself was a shock to him. He was more than willing to kill every single person who stepped in his way.

Years of training had brought him to this moment, and he never thought he would be happy to see death, but this was how it was going to be.

Closing his eyes, he pictured Pepper’s beautiful smile. The way she looked at him as he was deep inside her would stay with him forever.

It was now or never.

He moved from his wall, crouching down behind the potted plants corporations seemed to love. When the guy moved near him, he pounced, wrapping his arms around his neck, and snapping it, firing his gun on the man opposite, who went down instantly. The two guards were dead, and wouldn’t be able to call it in. He was heading for the door when his cell phone started to buzz. At first, he ignored it, and then tensed. What if Pepper had woken up and she was scared? He had to keep her in the hotel room, safe.

Cursing, he moved away from the window, providing himself with enough cover that no one would catch him.

“Hey, baby, what’s wrong?” he asked.