Protect Me (Broken Heroes 2)

Keira fists my shirt. “I was just…I was scared.”

I cup her cheeks. Her skin is warm and wet with tears. “No one is ever going to take me from you. The fact that you care more for me than yourself, or that I killed someone right before your eyes…” I shake my head. “It rattled me to the core, baby. You’re selfless, and your kind and caring nature makes up for everything I lack.”

Keira’s frown turns into a soft smile, and I lean down, pressing my lips against hers. Her head falls against the cupboard, exposing her smooth neck. I want to fuck her right now—to make sure she feels secure, happy, content, but she doesn’t need that right now. She just needs me…my touch.

I pull away, exhaling a ragged breath. Keira’s chest heaves, pressing her breasts up with each breath. As I stare down at my soon-to-be wife, her beauty reflecting upon me, my brother’s words pop into my head.

“Damon, I need you to come to the mansion. We have some important matters to discuss, and you should bring Keira as well.”

I’m not dumb enough to think this was a coincidence. The fact that my brother called and demanded I come to his home, then Hayley has a mental breakdown and shows up at my house with a gun—it’s all fishy as fuck, and I’m going to figure out what the hell is going on.

“Baby, we need to go pack a couple bags. We’re going to go stay with Xander for a little bit.” Worry flickers in her eyes, and I know she’s still in shock. She’s going to need some time to digest all this.

“Actually, you know what, wait here, I’ll pack some stuff.”

“Okay,” she mumbles, not even making a move to get up.

I rush upstairs to our bedroom, my feet slamming against the wood floor with each step. When I make it to the room, I go through the drawers, grabbing panties, bras, T-shirts, yoga pants—anything I can get my hands on. I pull a small suitcase from the closet and shove all the shit into it. I don’t worry about my own clothing. I have a bunch of shit at Xander’s place anyway. Once done, I race around the bathroom grabbing a bunch more of Keira’s shit, and when I get back to the kitchen, I toss the suitcase aside and look at Keira. Her ass is still seated on the counter like she’s a part of it.

“Are…?” I start, but the sound of the doorbell ringing interrupts us once again, and I grind my teeth together, pulling away.

“Stay put until they get the body out of here. Okay?” I hate the way I sound and how bossy I am being. I don’t think she would get up anyway, since she hasn’t moved since I put her on the damn counter.

Keira nods her head, placing her hands in her lap. She still seems shaken up, but I know she’ll move on. She knows nothing’s going to happen to me, and anyone who tries to hurt her may as well commit suicide because they’re dead for trying.

I step over Hayley’s body and peek through the glass, checking to make sure it’s Toni. When I see his round face and two of my men flanking him, I open the door. After he and the other men enter, Toni’s eyes scan the scene. He doesn’t ask questions, and even if he did, I wouldn’t give him answers. He doesn’t need to know what happened. I pay him to clean up the mess and keep his mouth shut.

“Boss,” the three greet me in unison, and I tip my chin at them.

“Make it look like an accident. I don’t care what kind.” My stomach churns as I walk away, leaving Toni to clean up the mess.

I march back into the kitchen, walk over to Keira, and cup her cheeks. I rub my thumbs up and down them, breathing deeply.

“Everything is going to be fine, baby. Everything is going to be fine,” I whisper, praying like hell my words aren’t a lie.

If anything happens to Keira, I’ll kill everyone.

Every. Single. Person.

Chapter 21

Keira

I stare at my hands as we stand in the kitchen, waiting for them to move Hayley’s body. Her death hasn’t fully sunk in. Strangely, I don’t feel bad. You’re supposed to feel bad when someone dies, right? I was sad when my brother died. I should be sad Hayley’s dead. I should be terrified the man I love killed her, snapping her neck right in front of me.

He did it without thought—like his body knew what it was doing—like it was something he did every single day.

I’m still waiting for feelings to come, but I feel nothing. My emotions twist out of control, and all I can think about is I could’ve lost Damon—and if I had, it would’ve been at her hands.