My mouth gaped while my fingertips pressed against the stinging skin. What thefuck?
“Apologize,” she demanded, glaring at me.
“What?”
“Apologize right now,” she repeated. “Wynn almost died trying to protect me. To save me. What happened to me was not his fault, and I will not let you put that blame on him.”
“He—”
“Shut up!” she yelled. “For once! Keep your mouth closed, Ryuji, andlisten.”
My mouth snapped shut.
“It is not fair. I was the one who begged him to leave the penthouse.” She looked to Obi, Ciel, and Cas. “I was the careless one, despite Obi’s orders. All Wynn did was try to protect me, and if anyone else has shit to say about Wynn, you better say it tomyface.”
I swallowed down emotions I wanted to direct at her. It was never her fault. And if I couldn’t blame her, then I had to blame Wynn.
No one had a response.
“You have your own fears, Ryu. You can talk to me about them directly, but don’t for a second think that it is okay to treat your brother that way.”
With my jaw clenched, I jerked a nod.
“Apologize.”
My eyes snapped to Wynn. He stared at Leona like she was an angel sent from heaven.
She was, but I still wanted to wipe the expression off his fucking face.
“Sorry,” I bit out.
“Wow, real believable,” Leona snorted. She walked over to Wynn and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. Then she stalked toward the hallway that led to her room. “Come with me, Ryu. Now.”
My eyes went wide as I glanced at Cas. He shrugged with a bemused expression on his face. I almost flipped him off beforeLeona shouted at me to hurry. I scurried off after her like a lost puppy.
God. I was fucking whipped.
45
LEONA
Ryuji followed me into the elevator after I quickly changed my clothes. We both strapped on a few hidden weapons, but by now I knew he always carried more knives than I could see. He had the good sense to keep his mouth shut, as I asked, but when I pressed the button for the second floor—where his club was—he spoke.
“What are you doing?” He watched the elevator numbers ding downward.
I adjusted the thigh holster that held my Hellcat and inspected my butt in the mirrored wall of the elevator to make sure it couldn’t be seen beneath my skirt. “I figured you’d run away, like you have been whenever things get tense, so I thought we could run away together for a little bit.”
He shoved his hands into his pockets, then rocked back and forth on his heels. He was wearing more casual clothes than he typically wore to the club, but they’d have to do for now.
“Why?” he asked.
“You clearly have a problem, which we clearly need to resolve.”
“I don’t have a problem?—”
My glare could have withered flowers.
“So…you think going to the club is a good idea?” He cautiously touched his cheek where I had smacked him. I refused to feel bad about it.
