Chapter 12

Cyrus

Holding Emilia was the only reason I wasn't beating the shit out of Kyle. I didn't miss his parting insult it was such a shame I wouldn't have time to toy with him. My eyes hadn't left Emilia, and I knew he was being an asshole when she pulled her hands behind her back to keep him from touching her. The entire scenario evoked a sudden maelstrom of emotions so potent that I had difficulty keeping my usual social mask in place. I was grateful for the half mask I wore, or people would have seen my true self. Had Emilia not embraced me, I would have dragged Kyle to a dark corner and unleashed my rage upon him.

I ignored the eyes watching us and grunted when Emilia placed her other arm around my neck. Unable to resist the temptation, I grabbed a fist full of her hair and tilted her head back. Her dark eyes shone from behind her mask, my eyes dropped to her pretty red lips, and I lowered my lips to taste my little minx. Her lips were soft and she sighed as her lips parted for me.

I held her by her hair and slipped my tongue into her hot, wet mouth. The sweetness of the champagne was there, but when she flicked her tongue against mine, I looked around before dragging her backwards towards an alcove. As soon as her back hit the wall, I ravaged her mouth like the beast that I was. I let go of her hair and held her ass while I plundered her mouth. She groaned into my mouth before she pushed her tongue against mine as she pulled my neck down. Her fingers raked through the back of my hair, and my dick was so fucking hard that I wished we weren't in a venue surrounded by people.

The announcement for the charity auction penetrated through the haze of lust, and I reluctantly softened my kiss until I opened my eyes to see her swollen red lips. I wrapped my fingers around her neck and kissed her lips before I trapped her lower lip between my teeth. I didn't know what it was about Emilia that made me want to ruin her in ways I'd never imagined, but she was addictive. Her eyes opened, and the dark desire that burned in them might have been on par with my own madness.

Someone cleared their throat behind me and Emilia immediately blushed, but I still didn't let go of her lip. I rubbed my tongue over it before I released her. She hid her face in my jacket with a groan.

"Everyone is going to think I am a whore now," she whispered.

"Not if they want to live. Although, I wouldn't mind keeping you as my dirty little whore. How wet is your pussy for me right now?"

I grinned when her fists clung to my jacket, and she tried to hide away using my body as a cover. I glanced around to see there weren't that many people left in the hall. My eyes caught Kyle standing near the entrance stairs. He stood there alone, but I could see the anger and envy in his eyes as he stared back at me. The shitbag rode his father's coattails and had never accomplished much in business.

I smiled and gave him a wave while several thoughts clashed within me as I thought of all the ways I wanted to kill him. He gave me a stiff smile before he swiftly exited the hall towards the auction room. Only then did I let Emilia out from the alcove. She fumbled with her purse and checked her lips before she snapped the small mirror shut.

"It's not as bad as I thought," she said to herself before she began to rub a tissue over my lips and straighten my jacket. "There, now you look perfect," she said softly as she caressed my cheek, rubbing the stubble against her palm.

I gaped at her in shock because I realised that I couldn't remember the last time someone touched me with genuine intent or affection. I kissed her palm and placed my arm around her waist to lead her towards the auction room.

**

As soon as dinner was over I watched Kyle because I knew he would be going out for a smoke. Emilia was chatting to one of the organisers and I placed my hand over hers until she turned towards me.

"I'm going for a quick cigarette. Stay at the table, I won't be long."

She glanced around the hall before she nodded to me. I stood up and glanced around the room, wondering what she had been looking for, but since time was of the essence, I didn't dwell on it and went through the back exit, knowing it was the one Kyle had used. He stood beside some tall shrubs on the side of the pavement, and I slipped my leather gloves on.

He paused when he saw me before he brought his cigarette up to his lips.

"Everything comes so easily to you, doesn't it, Wicke?" he asked as he looked up at the sky.

After doing a few checks on my phone during the auction it seemed Kyle Bennet and his old money family had fallen onto hard times. It didn't give him the right to attack Emilia.

"But damn, that bitch is smoking hot," he said with a chuckle.

I didn't hesitate because no one was around, and the back of the building wasn't important enough to have cameras. I grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and dragged him into the shrubs. I had my knife with me, but I didn't want to get blood on my shirt. The only blood I would have on me tonight was my Emilia's.

I gripped my hands around his neck and began to choke the life out of him. Under the light of the moon, I could just about see his eyes as the shrubbery didn't allow much light in which made it the perfect cover.

"You feel the pain? Your eyes begin to water, and your throat burns. That burning sensation travels down into your chest until you begin to feel sick. Then you get an acrid taste in your mouth," I snarled at him as he tried to claw at my hands as he choked. "When you feel the cold, that is death coming for you."

His knees gave way but I held him up because I wanted to see his eyes when the light went out of them. I wanted to see the lifeless eyes that looked at Emilia.

"She isn't a fucking whore or someone you should have spoken to, let alone tried to touch. She is fucking mine. My fucking woman," I growled as I pressed my thumbs into his throat, carried away with the rage simmering within me.

He began to make a series of choking and nasty gurgling noises before spittle burst out of his mouth. It spilt onto my glove, which only pissed me off more.

"No one fucks with my woman," I snarled as his body began to shake and his eyes twitched.

I felt nothing as I watched the last bit of life vacate his eyes. I didn't stop choking him until I was certain he was dead. His limp body was held up by my hands, and I dropped him in the shrubs before I stepped over him to stride towards the door and light up my cigarette.

I'd decided to keep Emilia because I knew deep within me that I would never meet anyone like her again in this lifetime. I wasn't too concerned about her thoughts on my decision we could discuss her profession at a later date because I was more interested in getting to know more about my dark beauty.