64. Vaughn #2
“If you say that again, I will break every tooth you have with a mallet. You don’t know what love means. I do, and I’m about to show you the difference, because when you love someone, you protect them. You honor them. You kill for them.”
He looked up. “What do you think I’ve been trying to do?
You want to sit here and lecture me on love?
” Lawrence pointed to Theodore. “I did try to kill for her. I did honor her. I gave Penelope her title back. I gave her Rosemoor and a dozen other properties. I offered to marry her. I did everything right. But you… you ruined that. You fucked with her head. You broke her mind and forced yourself inside. You turned her into a killer. Into a cold, heartless machine. All I did was try to fix what you broke.”
My hand rubbed down my face.
“There is no talking sense into you. I don’t even know why I’m trying. You are the one who is broken, Lawrence. Nothing I say will be absorbed. You will twist it to justify what you’ve done, ignoring the pain you have caused others.”
I held up two fingers.
“You were responsible for the loss of my first child. Right now, Penelope is in the process of possibly terminating my second. Or yours,” I ground out. “We’ll never know because she doesn’t want to. To know would destroy her.”
A roar came from Lawrence.
“She has no right to—”
I had my hand around his throat before he could finish. Lawrence tried swinging and twisting, but I only squeezed to his throat tighter.
“Don’t you dare fucking say it. It is her body that you violated. It is her choice to do with it what she will. She has to live with that. Not you. Her.”
Deep red blossomed over his face. He was still jerking, but I didn’t care. I held him seconds longer, slamming his back to the stone with all my strength. Coughing wracked his body as he gasped for air.
“Elec.” I turned, facing him as he headed up. “I’m done talking to him. We’ll put him in the cuffs. You can do what you need to bring him more pain. Hypnotize him or whatever it is.” I paused. “I need to step out for a minute and talk to my Reeve.”
Blue eyes were narrowed… dead as he glanced to Lawrence.
“Go take a break. We’ll get him in the cuffs. When you come back in, he’ll be ready.”
My hand gripped his shoulder, and I walked out, ignoring Lawrence calling out for me.
I paced the length of the hall, fisting my hair as I ground my teeth.
Flashes of Penelope cuffed to the bed came in agonizing flickers.
I could see her lying there, crying, nude, bleeding from his abuse with that fucking cane.
The bruises on her neck where he’d no doubt choked her.
The knot and discoloration on her cheek.
The blood on her thighs. My Penelope, my air, my sun, my moon…
my very reason for living… hurt. By him.
And she’d go through more pain over the next few days… because of him.
Nothing I could think of was justifiable for the damage he’d caused. How was I going to leave that room again and allow him to live? I didn’t think I’d last another minute next to him without beating him to death. But I had to refrain. Somehow, I had to stay controlled.
I turned to the guards, taking in the Reeve watching me as he paused his conversation.
“Bring the cart to the room. Make sure there’s a cane and an open mouth gag. Also… find guards. Lots of guards. Lawrence needs to learn the difference between rape and consent. And bring in George. He allowed my queen to suffer. I want him to see what he’s about to undergo as well.”
“Right away, Sire.”
I walked over, grabbing a chair. I headed for his door, stopping just outside. My fingers squeezed hard into the back of metal. I could beat him with this chair. I could keep hitting until I crushed his skull into mush. I could…
Letting out a deep breath, I opened the door, walking inside. Lawrence was making sounds: half growl, half whimper. He was bearing down against the cuffs, jerking his hand in the tight hold.
“You let me out of these right now, Vaughn. You let me out.”
I opened the folded chair, taking out my phone. I didn’t answer him as I turned to Elec and Theodore. They headed over, and Elec kept his voice low.
“Do you want to see how it works?”
A smile tugged at the side of his mouth, and my gaze cut back over to Lawrence.
“I’d love to.”
He motioned me forward, bringing us to a stop not far from Lawrence who was twisting and pulling down against the restraints that held his arms up.
“Vaughn, I’m serious. You’ve made your point. You want me to leave Penelope alone, fine. You win. Is that what you want—”
Elec snapped just to the side of his right eye and Lawrence froze. He didn’t move. Didn’t blink. He became a statue, staring ahead with the same angry expression.
My brow drew in, and I waved my hands in front of him watching as he didn’t react.
“Fascinating,” I breathed out, turning to take in blue eyes. Even Theodore’s lips were parted as he looked between Lawrence and Elec.
“This is nothing. Just making sure I got him. He’s good to go.” Elec double-snapped and Lawrence paused but continued where he left off.
“You win. It’s simple. I crossed the line, and you got me back. I took Penelope, and you burned my palace and most of my properties. We’re even.”
“Never.”
The door opened, and I didn’t turn from Lawrence as the Reeve and guards marched George in with the cart. A mass of boots sounded in the distance, and a tinge of fear leaked into Lawrence’s features. He swallowed hard, grasping to the chain that held to the cuffs.
“What are you doing? What’s George doing here?”