When they didn’t immediately respond, he gave them one last chance. “The clock is ticking. In ten more seconds, either you’re on your way home or we’ll teach you some manners. Your choice.”
Duke made his decision. “Fuck you, Other. I’m not apologizing to any bitch stupid enough to spread her legs for the likes of you.”
Chapter 14
Sasha flinched as if the bastard had actually slapped her. She shot a look at Larem, a hurt question in her glance. Was she asking how the guard had found out or if Larem had been the one who’d talked?
All things considered, he didn’t blame her for wondering; but damn, she should at least know him better than that. He pushed the pain deep down inside to deal with later. He had far more pressing matters at the moment.
Starting with the fact that Duke was dead. The guard might not realize it yet, but he was already drawing his last few breaths. In the next few seconds, he would be nothing but a bloodstain soaking into cheap carpet. His two friends, too, if they got in the way.
Larem grabbed Sasha by the arm and shoved her back toward Lonzo. “Get her out of here. She doesn’t need to see this,” he ordered, knowing he could depend on his roommate to make sure she was safe.
Hunter already had his gun aimed at the guard closest to him. His leg might not be back to full strength, but that wouldn’t interfere with his aim. Two shots would eliminate any problems Duke’s buddies might cause.
“Larem, here. You’ll need this.”
Lonzo had the good sense to wait until Larem nodded before sliding his sword pommel first across the floor. Larem knelt down to pick it up while keeping an eye on the guards. He risked a quick peek back to see how Lonzo managed the maneuver without letting go of Sasha: the Paladin held her back with one arm around her waist.
When she spotted him looking at her, she renewed her struggles to break free. “Lonzo, let go of me! What are you three up to now? I won’t have it, whatever it is.”
“Sasha, go with Lonzo, please.”
He wanted nothing more than to be holding her, soothing her, apologizing for her name being linked with his. “Go. I’ll let you rip into me all you want later, I promise.”
Duke obviously wasn’t done shooting off his mouth. “Just wait until your father finds out what’s going on. Do you think he and the other Regents will be happy when they find out what you’ve done? Hell, most of them know the Paladins are barely a step up from those animals themselves. I’ve always thought our job description should be zookeepers instead of guards.”
It was definitely time to end this. “Lonzo, get her the hell out of here.”
Larem waited until his friend dragged Sasha around the corner and out of sight. Despite the difference in her size and Lonzo’s, she was putting up a good fight. If he wasn’t mistaken, his friend would have a nice collection of bruises on his shins from where she’d tried to kick herself free. His woman had a strong warrior’s spirit.
When the sounds faded, he picked up Lonzo’s sword and held it out to Duke pommel first. The human looked around in growing panic, evidently only now realizing the trouble he’d stirred up may have turned lethal.
He stared at the blade Larem held out as if it were a snake. “What’s that for?”
“That’s so when I explain your death to Devlin Bane, I can tell him that I gave you a chance to defend yourself.”
When Duke made no effort to accept the weapon, Larem knelt down and slid it across the floor anyway. A human stood little chance against a Kalith warrior at the best of times, but they both knew Duke stood no chance at all if he didn’t at least pick up the sword.
God, what had he gotten himself into? “You wouldn’t kill an unarmed man.”
He could hear his two buddies backing away, clearly thinking he was wrong about that. Any second now they’d break and run for cover. He didn’t blame them. He’d be leading the charge himself if he thought he had a chance of getting away. But even if his friends forgot that Larem still had another friend with him, the Paladin stood ready to remind them.
“Where do you two dumb fucks think you’re going?” Hunter Fitzsimon’s words dripped with the brutal chill of death. “You started this, but we’ll decide when it’s finished.”
God, Duke never meant for this to go so far. Yeah, he resented the Kaliths strolling around like they owned the place, playing sword games with the Paladins and showing them up. That didn’t mean he wanted to challenge a swordsman of Larem’s caliber to a fight to the death.
He bent down to pick up the sword, hating the way the blade shook in his hand. Even more, he hated the cold amusement in the freak’s pale eyes when he saw the shimmer of quivering steel.
“I will convey your apologies to Ms. Willis.” The Kalith bastard ran his finger along the curved edge of his sword. “I know you regret what you said to her, but unfortunately you won’t be in a position to tell her yourself.”
Duke flexed his fingers on the sword, trying to adjust his grip on the unfamiliar pommel. He prayed for his life, prayed for forgiveness, and prayed for a quick and merciful death. As pissed off as Larem was right now, he would likely drag this out until Duke choked on his own blood and begged the freak bastard for release.
Larem switched his sword to his left hand. “There, Duke, to even things up I’ll fight with my weaker hand.”
Hunter’s laughter rang out. “Oooh, nice touch, Larem. I like it.”