Magnate (Acquisition 2)

There wasn’t a scratch on him, but he’d just killed two men. He was calm, as if he’d only swatted a fly.

I reached out to him, only then noticing how badly my body shook. He pulled me out from beneath the desk and tilted my chin up with his thumb and index finger. Inspecting my neck, he said, “You’re bleeding.”

“I am?” A haze had settled over me, and my ears were ringing. The smell of burnt gunpowder hung in the air. I glanced past him and fixated on the two bodies, blood pooling around them in a crimson sea that blocked the door. How would we get out without getting their blood on us? I’d lured them in here, straight to their deaths. I was already covered in their blood, I just couldn’t see it.

“Stella?” Lucius pulled my gaze back to his, a crease forming in his brow. “Come on. Let’s get you out of here.” He scooped me up in his arms, his pistol still in the hand at my knees.

I stiffened. “I can walk.”

He shook his head at me, his light brown hair falling into his eyes. “You’re in shock.”

“I’ve been through worse.”

He grazed his fingers along my back, feeling the ridges of my scars. “I know. Close your eyes. I’m going to step over them and take you back to your room.”

“No.” My voice shook and I looked down again, the bodies drawing my gaze like a magnet. “That’s where they found me.”

“Close your eyes. Do it now.” Lucius’ tone was harsh.

I turned back to him and buried my face in his shoulder, but I could still feel their lifeless stares. He moved through the library, taking a final, big step across the pool of blood, and then we were out in the hallway. I opened my eyes as he turned to the right, away from my room and toward his. He moved quietly and swiveled this way and that each time he came to a door, searching for any more unwanted guests.

Easing his bedroom door open, he peered around before walking in and setting me down on the bed. I drew his blanket to my chin and watched as he checked the bathroom, the closet, and then closed and locked his balcony doors.

“You’ll be safe here. I’m going to go find Javier and make sure there were only two.” He clicked something on the gun and the magazine slid out. He checked the bullets and nodded to himself before looking back to me. “Don’t move from this room.”

I stared at the crimson stain along the side of his boot. Blood. So much of it had flowed around me. My mother’s, mine, the men on the floor. How much of it was my fault? All of it?

He stalked to me, his light eyes flashing even in the now-darkened room. “Stella. Tell me you’ll stay here. I need you safe.”

That got through to me, his one half-truth. He needed me. He needed his Acquisition untouched until he said otherwise. Until three weeks from now at Christmas when the second trial was set to begin. Would he keep me safe then? Renee’s story of torture and violation replayed through my mind, forming a lattice work of pain over the pool of blood that had already seared into my vision.

I looked up and met his focused stare. “I’ll stay here.”

“Good. I’ll be back in a short while. Don’t open this door for anyone else. Not even Javier. Got it?” He pulled back the gun’s action and checked the round in the chamber. His hands were steady, as if killing was what they were made for.

He released the metal, a smooth shick sound that spoke of death. Reaching out toward my face, he pushed a lock of hair behind my ear. I leaned away from his touch.

His eyes narrowed. “Stay here. No one but me gets through that door. Tell me you understand, Stella.”

“Yes.” I wanted him gone. I wanted all of it gone.

He raised his gun and went to the door. “Lock it behind me.”

He opened it silently, peeking out, and then slid through before pulling it shut behind him. I rose, pulling the blanket with me, and clicked the bolt over. It was just a deterrent. If others wanted to get in, they would.

I scanned the room for a weapon. There wasn’t much to choose from, unless I could somehow fashion a dagger from some local art or decorative tobacco baskets. I went to Lucius’ bedside table. Nothing there of use. I whirled and caught his fireplace in my peripheral vision. I grabbed an iron poker, gripping it hard and getting a feel for its weight. It wouldn’t do much if the intruder had a gun, but it was better than nothing.

Tossing the blanket back onto the bed, I hurried into his walk-in closet. I closed the door behind me and yanked down a white button up. I slipped it on and rolled up the sleeves, ignoring the fact that I wasn’t wearing panties. The wooden racks and drawers gave me nowhere to hide.