CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
KAGE
I walk in and see this asshole with his hands on Raina, as she laughs differently than I’ve ever fucking seen. I’ve never witnessed that full body laugh. She’s comfortable with this guy, whoever the fuck he is, and I don’t like it. When I was a kid, they used to joke that my name should be Rage, not Kage. Psycho called me by that name for three years, until I locked him in a cage for four days. I never liked the name, but right now it’s fitting, because I’m seeing red like I never have before.
I glance at my two security guys before focusing my attention back to Raina.
“Get out,” I order, and as usual they’re quick to obey.
“Step away from her. She’s mine.”
He moves to the side of the kitchen island with his hands up.
“On your knees.”
“Lorenzo, stop,” Raina says as she trembles with fear for this guy, but I ignore her, because I can’t stop seeing his fucking hands on her.
“I won’t tell you again.”
He lowers himself to his knees, and I grab Raina by her hair and spin her around. She whimpers as I push her over the island, holding her with one hand, and unzipping my pants with the other. I look at this guy, who I’m now assuming is Casey, even though I thought Casey was a girl.
“You make her laugh. I make her come. We are not the fucking same.”
I yank the bathrobe up and slam inside her, while holding her down by the back of her neck. I barely hear her whimpers. The most prominent sound is my pulse pounding in my ears. Raina trembles underneath me. I know she isn’t afraid for herself, but him, and it only heightens my rage. I pull my gun from my holster on my hip and point it at his head, while I stay inside her.
“Nobody sees her like this. Only me.”
Pulling the trigger, I hit him once in the forehead, and she screams as his body slumps forward on my expensive tile, and blood sprays from his wound.
“Get the fuck away from me,” she cries, but I don’t. Instead, I keep fucking her.
“Did I tell you what would happen to any man that touches you?” I grunt out.
“Fuck you. You killed my best friend.”
I pull my hips back and slam forward repeatedly.
“That’s right, and I’ll kill a hundred more. Nobody touches you. And a new rule, nobody makes you laugh like that.”
I pull out of her and grab her shoulders, and turn her to me. Her sobs are loud, as she occasionally looks over at her friend.
“You’re a monster,” she says between hiccups.
And she’s not wrong.
Reaching down, I tuck myself back into my pants.
“I suggest you listen in the future, Firecracker. When it comes to other men touching you, I have no control. You know that now. Go upstairs and get ready. We’re going to my brother’s house.”
She looks at me point blank, as she controls her sniffles.
“Mark my words, Kage Bonetti, I’m going to ruin you. Your destruction is mine. Somehow, someway, I will be your undoing. It’s not a threat. It’s a promise.”
Raina storms off out of the kitchen and suddenly stops.
“He made me laugh like that because he was kind to me. Casey never treated me like I was property, whose only value was her pussy. Every time we were together, he made me happy. Something you could never do!”
And then she’s gone, leaving me alone with my thoughts, ones I’d like to carve out of my brain with a knife.
This day keeps on getting better. After we get back from talking to my brother, I need to tell her about her mother, and I already know it’s not going to go well. It wasn’t intentional. Maybe that’ll make her feel better about it.
Fucking idiot. Nothing is going to make this news easier to hear.
She stomps her feet as she moves toward me like a petulant child.
“What are you wearing? I thought your friend brought you clothes.”
Raina raises an eyebrow.
“Oh, my dead friend? He did. I’m not dressing up for you. If you want a Barbie, I suggest you buy one.”
I stare at her clothing and attempt to hide my laughter. She looks ridiculous, to say the least. Like an unkempt mess but still gorgeous. She’s wearing a white t-shirt with splatters of paint all over it, like she wore it for redecorating, and for some reason never got rid of it. And the jeans she’s wearing aren’t much better. They look very worn. I’m not even sure a thrift store would take them. Did she bother to brush her hair? Definitely not.
I shrug my shoulders.
“If this is how you want to see my brother, then so be it.”
“I’m not looking to impress the Bonetti scum.”
“Nice,” I say, as I grab her hand and pull her to the door.
She’s quiet on the entire ride, and given the circumstances, I’m not surprised. Raina has an attitude that matches her hair to a ‘T’. Her temper is even worse, but I’m not an idiot. I understand why she’s upset. Hopefully, after I tell her about her mother, we can get the explosions out of the way and move on. Do I know that’s really fucking unlikely? Yes, but a man can hope.
We pull into the gates in front of Bones’ house, and security immediately lets me through with a nod.
I park and get out, walking around to her side, and can’t help noticing the nearly black clouds threatening to pour down. A dark, ominous feeling surrounds me, like the gates of hell are closing in on me. Opening Raina’s door, I help her out of my SUV, and she glares at me.
“I hate you,” she whispers.
She has never spoken words more true than these to me. Her hate is visceral.
Pulling her into my arms, I hold her against my chest, and press my lips to the side of her face.
“I know you do.”
She presses her face to my chest and cries. Her body shakes against mine, and I wrap my arms around her.
“Why?”
I place my finger and thumb on her chin and lift her head, forcing her gaze to mine, and sigh audibly.
“I can’t handle a man touching you. It’s something I’ll never tolerate, Raina.”
While I want to make her understand, I’m not sure I can.
“The rage was blinding. All I could see were his hands on you. And I reacted to it. I’d like to say it will never happen again, but it probably will, because you’re fucking gorgeous, and men will want you, and not be able to control themselves.”
I kiss her lips softly.
“Let’s get this over with.”
Releasing my hold on her, I take her hand and walk her into Bones’ house, where Reaper is waiting. Are all my brothers here? This is unexpected, and has my hackles raised. After all, he did try to kill Raina once already.