"The Devil W

w she

-eyed. Before the guards scrambled. Before the house

even hate. Just a quiet, burning thing. Most people m

o said, catching his

rity footage. Her face frozen in motion, grainy and blur

d the words I'd

most ma

from the scr

repeated.

. We intercepted them before the perime

e one w

is yet, but he's not just some street r

urse

But I didn't send those men, and the guy who was trying to take what's mine thankfull

-

't see the shape of Greta's fingerprints across her cheek. The slig

I

Close enough to hear Greta's voice echo off the marble: "Spo

sound skin

didn't

n't cry

ed, eyes locked on the wom

discipline. I ca

r strong. I think letting someone like Ariana liv

she expected a pat on the back. I said nothing.

t, but I already start

-

attackers was still ali

. Sloppy work. My men weren't usually this emotional, but I understood. The girl th

us,"

ed out s

s head, barely. "

n't a

of smile. "She was so

let him

is thigh, straight through the muscle. Not deep enough to kill. Just e

ere sa

d... someone said the girl woul

hed hi

e man w

ow he'd be there. He... wasn't part of our

rest

u? What did you do when y

dn't

g an

s time. Right across the jaw. No

ietly. "Lie to anyone else i

ood. Didn't l

im live

-

ped through the side gate. Sprinting barefoot across the back alley. That mysteri

ked bac

ed it

alling his name. Her eyes were full

d that

se it mad

it wasn't di

-

isolate her again

respond r

" I said. "She just ha

run again

. "But not yet. Next time

"You want

want her to kn

-

d past the holding room. I didn't go i

hing steady. Not cry

o

be the monster they warned her about

nered me in the hall. All sil

e said. "Girl's a snake. Spoiled. Rude. You gi

a leash," I replied, not ev

stif

o help. She doesn't

ect the house," I said. "

e part Greta ne

-

observation room a mir

er knees. Her eyes were open, staring at the blank w

ip cracked a little. But she d

someone waiting

pecte

as nothing to

nearby, waiting

room," I said. "No cuff

you s

oing anywher

ded an

hile longer,

ht debt collection was j

I know

ered in blood. Others

Ar

was