The Woman That Ruined Me: A Love Bound In Blood

s slamming against the pavement. The icy night air cut into her skin like tiny need

k about it

e her feel like she was the last person left in the world. If it wer

nce over her sh

kind of guys who didn't ask questions before thr

slammed aga

f the club, still tasting the vodka she'd swiped from behind the bar, when she sp

regretting

pressed in on both sides, their windows dark and unfeeling. Garbage cans lined the

turn.

ead

*c

o go. But all she saw were the shadows stretching toward he

A

to something s

intake o

the

Low, smooth, edged wit

darkness. All she could see were a pair of piercing eyes-cold, unreadable, yet somehow... familiar?

lowed hard. "

the fo

close now.

ing, and realized she w

closing in. Their eyes flickered with something cruel. The l

e you

d crashed into. It wasn't rational, but something about her-about this wom

tly, angling herself be

us," Scarfa

r head, considering

ed. Who the hell

Lady, this isn't yo

the woman's lips.

hink I can

ward, raising his gu

second wa

ck of bones. A s

for the pain, for the searing heat

never

voice. Lo

er come b

yes snap

athed in the eerie glow of a flickering streetlamp. Three bo

led back, their eyes wide with horror. They turn

haled s

w," the woman s

ss laugh, shaking. "Yea

The reality of what just happened was starting to settle in-

ed up to the s

face. And those eyes-like twin glaciers, sharp and unf

swallowed. "

ead, she studied Lena, her ga

itated.

arp

. "Debt co

ed an eyebrow.

. "I owed money. A lot o

use.

he club on Wes

ked. "How

seen

way she said it made

meant, the woman turned toward

itated.

er her shoulder. "I'

. "That's no

had a gun in your face. Do you really th

r lip. Okay

ghed.

he curb. Lena hesitated before sliding into the pa

to the road, the

aled. "You never

hands flexed

after

nne D'

Why does that

en it

nne D

ll Street. The woman people whis

blood r

wet her lips.

urled into someth

't want

reason, Lena

r her like a lead blanket. She had just watched three men die. No

woman re

nne D

aw, the one who built an empire overnight. A woman wrapped in sh

na home like she hadn't just exe

ans. She should be afraid. Terrif

fli

sharp cheekbones, strong jaw, lips pressed into a firm line. Her hands gripped the wheel with

are

lowed the

r throat. "So... are we

glance at her. "

just killed three people an

didn't change. "They w

not what

le

hand through her tangled h

s. She should be panicking, falling apart, something-but instead, she was sitting here, in the car

u, really?"

gers tightened

ans

mal person would freak out a little af

edge, a ghost of something a

lip. "Not e

r her breath, shaking

er. "You don't r

ssion was unread

now how to re

w instead, watching the

n sat thick between them, stretching, pulling, win

nne broke t

do yo

more. Her apartment had been a temporary setup, something cheap enoug

icially out

sitation because she sighed. "F

napped toward

he road. "It's not safe for

, and staying with a woman who

didn't murder them. I

l, excuse me. That mak

e didn'

mples. "Look, I do

gh," Adrienne

. "Yeah? And

, just for a second. "That I'm your

k*d in a

wn, she knew Adr

r, they wouldn't stop comin

d to admit it, Adrienne

her nose. "Fine. Bu

ips twitched

't trust

one

-

-rise overlooking the city, the

The building itself looked like something straight out of a billionaire's wet dream-sleek black

d. "This is w

irked. "Dis

ually. I expected something more...

ed. "Not a fan

expect you to live in something so

or button. "What can I say?

a second before stepping inside. The moment t

ted uncom

Just... subtly. Like she was studying

throat. "So, uh..

an eyebrow. "Y

ow what everyone says. But n

wall, hands in her pockets.

her eyes. "Som

hed softly. "

. "You're no

rugged. "Wh

open to reveal a massive penthouse-floor-to-ceiling windows, sle

xpensive. And yet, someho

her coat over the back of a cha

ated befor

ully curated space. There were no perso

a home. It w

o Adrienne. "Why

aled. "Becau

not an

or a moment, something passed betwe

smirked. "You'r

stomach

dn't k

ith Adrienne D'Amaro was either the best-or

t sure which