I don’t tell her I’d done it to save my VP, I don’t explain anything. I just stare at her until she glances away, a shudder running through her. She’s right to be afraid. I’m not a good man.
Sin huffs out a breath. “This is a fucking problem.”
He pulls his gun and points it at her. My heart jolts as she lets out a cry, covering her head, as if that could stop a bullet.
“She’s got to die.”
She does, but I can’t let it happen. Killing a man who stole from us is one thing. Killing a woman who is innocent of any crime is another. I don’t have much of a moral compass, but there are some lines even I won’t step over. Women and kids are off limits.
Before I think about what I’m doing, I step in front of her, shielding her with my body, which earns a chuckle from Sin.
“The fuck are you doing?”
“We don’t hurt women,” I remind him.
“We do when the bitch saw you committing a fucking crime!”
She’s a problem, there’s no denying that.
I turn to her. I tower over her small frame, my large bulk making her seem even smaller than she is. She shrinks back from me.
“What’s your name?”
She doesn’t answer, so I snatch the bag from her, tossing it to Sin. He rummages in it while I keep my eyes locked on hers. This close up, I can see the gold flecks in her dark brown eyes. I can also see the terror on her face. There’s a thin sheen of sweat breaking out on her upper lip and she keeps swallowing hard. I’m a monster, but I don’t terrorise the innocent, and this woman is as innocent as they come. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Can I really kill her for that?
“Amalia Carter. A hundred and fifteen A Westmere Street, Kessington.”
I peer over my shoulder and see Sin is clutching her driver’s licence between his fingers. Amalia. Her name is as beautiful as she is. I turn back to her and frightened eyes meet mine. She sees my monsters, sees the darkness in me. She might not know what it is, but her instincts, some primal urge within her warns her I’m dangerous. It’s a sixth sense that recognises predators and that’s what I am. A predator.
She saw me kill a man. If she doesn’t die, I risk her telling the police. If she does die, I chip away at what remains of my tainted soul.
“You open your mouth, speak to the police, speak to anyone, we’ll find you and you’ll end up like Max,” the threat is growled out, my voice low, dangerous.
Her throat works as she takes this in, her eyes darting in the direction of the back room where Max’s body lies. “I won’t say anything,” she whispers. “I promise.”
“We should just fucking kill her,” Sin says, as if he’s talking about the weather, not murdering an innocent woman in cold blood. “She’s a loose end.”
She is, but I can’t. I’ve killed many men, some who deserved it, some who didn’t, but I’ve never hesitated before. Not until her. I can’t watch that perfection splatter up the walls.
Amalia shrinks back, her fear palpable, and I glare at Sin.
“We ain’t killing her.”
“She saw you murder a man.”
I flinch at his words—not because I have any remorse about killing Max. I don’t. But because she’ll never be safe while she has this over me. The club will do what it needs to in order to protect me from jail.
I meet her eyes and I wonder if she can see the darkness in mine. “You won’t say anything, will you, Amalia?”
Her dark head shakes.
“You breathe a word of it, bitch, and I’ll slit your throat in your sleep,” Sin’s words make her chest heave, her breasts straining beneath the V neckline of her dress. I want to gut the fucker for talking to her like that.
“How much did Max owe you?” I ask.
Her brows draw together. “Three hundred and twenty pounds.”
I jut my chin at Sin who lets out a huffy breath before moving into the back room. He appears a moment later holding a stack of cash from the safe. He hands the money she’s owed to me and pockets the rest. I give it to her.
“I don’t want it,” Amalia says immediately.
“Take it.”
She hesitates then reaches out and takes the notes from me. Our fingers scrape over each other’s and I grab her hand, making her squeal.
“I know where you live, Amalia Carter. Don’t forget that.” Terror dawns in her eyes as I release her. “Go.”
Sin pushes up from the wall where he’s leaning as soon as she disappears through the front door. “That’s a mistake, brother. She’ll open her mouth to the pigs the moment she gets home.”
He’s probably right, but I couldn’t bring myself to kill the beautiful angel. Amalia.
Chapter Three
Fury
“A woman sees you murder a man and you just let her leave?”
Rav is pissed. He’s spitting fire as he paces his office. I don’t blame his anger, but there’s not much I can do about my situation now.
“Ain’t killing her,” I tell him, meaning every word of it. I can’t kill an angel. She’s too pure to come under my knives.
Rav huffs and rubs at the bridge of his nose, as if I’m causing him a headache.
“Ain’t saying we kill the bitch, but she knows too much. That’s a fucking problem.”
“Know that. Still ain’t putting her to the knife.” I relish pain, but doing that to Amalia seems wrong. I’ve never felt that about anyone before.
“You’re going to have to be on that bitch’s arse, making sure she doesn’t talk.” Rav jabs a finger in my direction, his voice raising an octave. “Ain’t letting you go
