Page 11 of Tainted Essence
“My family has a safe house there, we can clean up and use the phone.” She rattles off the address.
“Slayer, I’m not from here so I’m gonna need you to be my GPS for a hot minute.” I don’t have to be looking at her to know she is rolling her eyes. I fight the smirk from breaking free as she directs me where to go. I can tell she’s pissed off but I can’t do much about that right now, I need to get to this house and call Knox. I also need to figure out who the fuck that guy was and how she knows him. Kimber’s treachery was just the tip of the iceberg. We drive for another twenty or so minutes, I’m so fucking lost and have no idea where the fuck I am. When she points to the small home on the left-hand side of the quiet street, I pull into the driveway and disconnect the wires to shut the car off. Destiny leads us around the back of the modest home, and I fight not to snort when she snags the key from beneath a potted plant.
What an original hiding place.
She lets us in and then rushes around the corner to shut the alarm system off. Kimber and I stand in the entryway as she turns the lights on. I spot a landline on the countertop in the kitchen and make a move for it but Destiny snatches it before I can.
“Give me that!”
She stares me down like she wants to gut me where I stand. “Your boss is a country away and can't wait to hear from his favorite dog. My family is an hour away and will be here before Knox can scratch his ass.” I cage her in with my arms gripping the counter on either side of her and getting right in her face. She doesn’t cower away, if anything she hardens her gaze.
“I’m not one of your father’s men that you can bark orders at, Slayer. I work with your family, not for them. Don’t push me too hard, baby, because you won’t like the feeling of my bite.”
She presses in closer until her chest is flush against mine and her full lips ghost over my own. “Keep telling yourself that you’re an alpha a few hundred times more and you may just believe it. In my world, I outrank you.” In a move so bold that it renders me speechless, she pecks me on the lips, then pain radiates through my entire body when she knees me right in the balls and I crumple to my knees before her shouting in pain. “You ever back me into a corner like that again and I’ll rip your fucking cock off.” She marches her psycho ass out of the kitchen with the phone as I kneel here gasping for air.
“She seems… nice.” I ignore Kimber as I grip the edge of the counter and haul myself to my feet. I make it to the next room ready to go another round with her when she waves the phone in front of me. Not one to be deterred, I close the space between us and wrap my hand around her throat.
“Who the fuck is this?” I freeze and dart my gaze from the phone to her, she smirks and mouths speaker phone. I keep my hand on her throat refusing to lose another round.
“Uncle Bishop, it’s me,” she answers.
“Destiny, thank fucking God.” The relief in his tone is clear. “King, call Gage and tell him she’s at Haven Home.” I inch her backward step by step, she doesn’t fight me but she does shoot me a warning look that I choose to ignore. “What happened?” She grunts when I slam her against the wall.
“I’ll explain everything when I get home.” She tries to sound unaffected by my hold on her but fails.
“Are you okay?” Bishop asks just as she tries to knee me again, but this time I’m prepared and smack her leg away.
“Yeah, just tired. How far away is Dad?”
“King, give me an ETA on Gage?” he calls out to his brother as I lean forward and bury my face in the crook of her neck nipping at the soft skin. She gasps, causing me to smile against her skin. “He’s forty minutes away. Hang tight kid. Is Taylan with you?”
“Y-yeah, he’s here?” A soft whimper escapes her when my lips brush against the shell of her ear.
“You like me don’t you,” I taunt quietly so only she can hear. I feel her stiffen but before she can say anything Bishop speaks.
“Can you put him on?”
I pull back and rest my forehead against hers loving that she can’t do a fucking thing right now with her uncle listening to every word.
“I’m here,” I say.
“What was the damage?”
I stare into her gray eyes as I answer. “Russians. They’re after the formula her mother uses to transport the drugs. They took Destiny as leverage and were going to use whatever means they could to get her to talk.”
“Fuck, I want you back here with her and ready to give me a full debrief,” he demands.
I dart my tongue to moisten my lips and in turn, lick hers too. “I don’t work for you, Bishop.”
“No you don’t but you do work for Knox, who is on his way here now. You get the fuck back here with my niece or your boss will be the least of your worries,” he orders before the call drops out. A whoosh of air escapes Destiny when I snatch the phone from her grasp and step back.
“Find some clothes, your father won't like the sight of you in my shirt,” I throw out as I head back into the kitchen where Kimber stands leaning against the counter with a raised brow. I shoot her a look that I hope conveys fuck off before I step out the back door and call Knox. It rings three times before he answers.
“Taylan?”
I smile. “How’d you know?”
“Thank fuck, are you good?”