Forbidden (Blood Ties #7)

“Mr. Cruz!” he called as two men stepped into view.

One of them was still tugging the last closure of his plastic overalls. Vernon looked at them, then back to me. “Your cleaners, sir. Your—”

Thwack!

Vernon jerked as the back of his head exploded, dropping him instantly to the floor. I turned to the two men as the one with the gun looked at me.

Helene desperately yanked her hand from mine. But there was no getting out of this. Not for her and not for me. Not anymore.

The cleaner scowled as his partner tugged his overalls up and moved to the body, dragging Vernon out of view from the tinted windows.

“The garage,” I muttered, stepping backwards. “Get to the goddamn garage.”

I spun, panic filling my head. My keys were still in my pocket. I’d been so desperate to get back to her, so goddamn desperate toplay,I hadn’t bothered to pull them free.

Now, I was thankful.

I dragged them free as the automatic doors opened, leading into the empty parking lot…and my car waiting in front. I stabbed the button to unlock the car as I gripped her arm shoved her toward it, and opened the passenger side door.

“Let go!” She fought, twisting around and clenching her fist.

I had to be careful…this woman wasdangerous.

One hard jerk and I snapped her head forward. “Listento me!”

She had no choice but to meet my stare. Rage waited. Not glinting or sparking like an explosion in her eyes. No, like a predator waiting. My stomach tightened.What the fuck?

I swallowed, wetting my throat enough to speak. “Those men in there are dangerous. They work for a powerful man. A man I—”

I searched her gaze, trying to explain the corrupt, lethal world I lived in. But how could I? How could I explain my life to someone who had no idea of the things I’d done…and who I’d done them for?

“You mean the dead men in your apartment?”

I scowled. “Yes.”

“The men you killed.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

I shook my head. Fully aware every second was a ticking time bomb, I didn’t have time to answer to some random woman…some woman I’d just hit with my fucking car.

“Why did you kill them?”

My scowl grew deeper. I fixed on her as my mind raced. I hadn’t thought. That was the truth. I’d just…acted. But why? Why kill men Iknewwere sent from Hale?

That split second came rushing back to me.

The moment the cleaner had turned his head.

The moment he’d…looked at her.

“Because…because he looked at you.”

Naked. Spread. Still glistening from my mouth.Mine.That violent hunger slammed into me. One that now had a name,possession.I jerked back to reality, gripping her arm tighter as I leaned close. “Because he fucking looked at you. No one is allowed to do that. Not them…and not MichaelfuckingDiAngelo. Now—” I reached, grasped her head, and shoved her down. “Get into the goddamn car.”

She buckled, falling inside. I slammed the door closed and stepped away, turning to pin her against the seat with my stare. If she ran now, I’d be fucked. If she ran now, I’d be—desperate.