Keep Her From Harm (The Denton Family Legacy 4)

She chuckled, and watched him leave. Entering the bathroom, she wrapped her hair up after drying it vigorously.

With the towel around her body she dried off completely, and put his towel on. Releasing her hair, she was about to grab a brush when the sound of Ivan’s voice made her freeze. Looking around the bedroom, she didn’t hear him, and she moved toward the door, hearing his voice clearly.

“You never expected me to know where you live?” Ivan asked. “That’s the problem with you Dentons. You always think you’re fucking better than everyone else, and you’re not. You’re all like us.”

She covered her mouth with her hand trying to keep any possible noise from alerting him that she was there. Glancing around the room, she saw the metal lamp shade, and tiptoeing across the room, she disconnected it, trying to be as quiet as possible. Ivan was in their apartment, and he was talking with Damian. Something told her that wasn’t going to be willingly.

Come on, Mia. Don’t be afraid.

Stepping up to the door, she sent out a little prayer, and hoped that the door didn’t make a sound as she opened it. Squeezing past, she winced as everything seemed to make a noise as she made her way toward the kitchen.

They weren’t in the kitchen but in the dining room. Ivan was near to her, and Damian was near to the entrance of the kitchen. His hands were up in surrender as he stared at Ivan.

“You think you’re a big man? Raping women and then selling them out. You got a problem that Mia wanted me, that she loved me.”

“That’s my kid she’s got with you, don’t ever forget that. I’m in her blood. There’s no way you’re ever going to replace me.”

She stared at the man who had been the bane of her life long enough. He held a gun that was pointed at the love of her life. She had been begging and praying for Damian ever since she was a little girl. Finally, after what seemed forever, she was happy, she was in love, and this monster was going to take it from her. She couldn’t allow that to happen.

Not again.

Before she even knew what was happening, she raised the lamp, releasing a growl as she whacked Ivan across the head. The echoes of a gunshot filled the air, but she ignored it. She was so intent on killing the bastard in front of her that she didn’t stop with her attack, constantly hitting him.

Damian held her close, his hands on her arms, holding her. They were both covered in blood, and she didn’t know how Damian was. She couldn’t recall anything but her rage, her need to keep on hitting Ivan, to make him stop.

Did he help her kill Ivan?

The sight of Ivan, dead on the floor—there was blood everywhere, and it couldn’t just be from her, could it? Damian was bloody, and so were his knuckles.

“Baby, I’ve got you. It’s okay. He’s dead. I’ve got you.”

Ivan was dead, and she turned into Damian. “I couldn’t let him hurt you, Damian. I couldn’t let him take you away from me.”

“He hasn’t, and he won’t. I promise. I was with you, right now. This wasn’t just you. He aimed the gun at you, and I stopped him, baby. I couldn’t let him hurt you again. I won’t let anyone ever hurt you again.”

Chapter Thirteen

“Mia’s in a little shock, and I gave her a sedative. She’ll be out like a light in a few moments,” Rick said. “She did this then?”

“She was at the door, and I was trying to keep Ivan distracted, and she just blew. It was … crazy.” Damian stared at Ivan’s body. “Is it wrong that I think it was good for her? She didn’t actually kill him though. At times, she was missing the body and hitting the floor. She was so intent on her anger, her rage, she didn’t see me snap his fucking neck.”

Rick chuckled. “I imagine it was. This piece of shit didn’t deserve to live.” Rick kicked Ivan’s side. “I’ll get rid of the body. She won’t have to worry about anything again, I promise.”

“Why are you all here?” Damian asked. His brothers, father, and uncle were all there.

“Westbrook told me what Ivan was going to do. I put an end to my torture attempt and decided to come and save my nephew. I thought it was rather nice of me,” Rick said. “I also wanted to let you know that the cops on Westbrook’s payroll have been handled as well. Let’s say a certain detective in charge got a nice big file on police corruption and bribery.”

“You’ve always been thorough. Westbrook is dead also?” Maddox asked.

“Yes, so my work here is done. After Mandy and I spend lunch with you, I’ll be taking her back home, and I’ll leave you back to your charming city.”

“Rick, you don’t have to go,” Stuart said.

“I do, actually. Mandy knows everything, but I think if she was to witness exactly what I was like firsthand, I doubt she would be ready to forgive me.” There was a knock on the door. “Ah, finally. Our cleanup crew has arrived.”

Damian was there to make sure the body was removed, and that everything was clean. The lamp was taken and would be disposed of. When all of his family had left, he went to the sofa, and picked up his woman, carrying her toward their bedroom. Even as she slept, he removed her shirt, and tossed it into a bag, handing it to Rick as he came back to collect it.

She was completely out cold as he washed the blood from her body, and then placed her in their bed. He climbed in beside her, and for the entire night, he watched as she slept.