Beautifully Cruel (Beautifully Cruel #1)(77)

I’m really starting to dislike this kid.

Declan says mildly, “He might not be able to kill you, but I sure can. Watch your mouth, or I’ll stick my knife in your ribs and carve you up like a turkey.”

That shuts Diego up. He kneels there, vibrating with rage. I realize the odd sound coming from under the hood is him grinding his teeth.

I make a motion for Kieran to get him on his feet and remove the hood.

When he’s standing and the hood is off, he glares at me with hostile, unblinking eyes, vicious as a viper’s.

“Why the hate, Diego? I thought we left our last meeting on such good terms.”

He’s so mad the cords on the sides of his neck stand out. His whole face is red.

He snarls, “Oh, you’re real fucking funny, aren’t you? This is all a big fucking joke to you. She’s a joke to you, too, isn’t she? You’re just gonna use her up and throw her away and it’ll be no skin off your back. If she doesn’t get wasted by a stray bullet meant for you first, that is!”

“If trying to kill me is your attempt at defending her honor, it’s misguided.”

He huffs out a short, sarcastic laugh “What the actual fuck would you know about honor, you criminal piece of shit?”

Declan unfolds his arms and takes a step forward. I stop him with a hand on his shoulder, then move closer to Diego myself. When I’m a foot away, I stop and stare into his eyes.

I say quietly, “More than you could ever guess.”

He looks like he really wants to spit in my face, but a quick glance over my shoulder to Declan makes him rethink it.

I continue in the same quiet tone as before. “You’re in love with her. I understand—”

“Do you?”

“Yes. Interrupt me again and I’ll have Declan cut out your tongue. I promised her I wouldn’t kill you, but I never said anything about relieving you of the power of speech.”

I have to give him credit. He doesn’t cower or shrink away, though his fear is plainly visible in the way the blood drains out of his face and his pupils dilate.

“As I was saying. She doesn’t need you to defend her.”

After a moment, when he’s sure I’m done speaking, he says, “She doesn’t need you to defend her, either.”

“Agreed.”

He doesn’t know what to make of that. He shifts his weight from foot to foot, looking back and forth from me to Declan, licking his lips and trying to figure out his next move.

“Listen, Diego. I want to ask you a favor.”

He blinks. Then says emphatically, “No.”

“You don’t even know what it is yet.”

“I don’t want to be your debt!”

It’s a good thing this kid is good-looking, because he’s as dumb as a rock. “No, I’d be in your debt.”

He looks confused, then suspicious.

Without giving in to the urge to roll my eyes, I say, “Tru will be back at work in a few days and back living at her apartment. I want you to look out for her. Don’t be obnoxious about it, and for fuck’s sake, tone down the chest-pounding Tarzan routine. She hates to be treated like she’s helpless.

“Just watch out for her. Make sure she’s okay. I know I can count on you to do that.”

His mouth hangs open. His expression is blank. He could be in a coma for all the reaction I’m getting.

To snap him out of it, I lightly slap his cheek.

He jumps, jerking away, then hollers, “You’re asking me to babysit for you while you go away on a trip or something, is that it?”

“I’m not going away on a trip. I’m going away for good.” And leaving her will kill me.

Diego says in stiff disbelief, “So that’s it? You’re dumping her?”

I grind my molars at his choice of words. When I don’t respond, he says, “Does she know?”

“Just remember what I asked. Kieran, drop him off at the zoo. Maybe he’d like to visit some of his relatives.”

I turn and head back to the elevators, dismissing him, but Diego isn’t done with me yet.

He calls out, “Do you know she defended you to me, man? I told her you were bad news, even before I knew who you were and you were just staring at her like a creeper at the diner, and she stood up for you, every single fucking time. You know what that’s called? Loyalty.

“I bet you don’t ever get that unless you pay big for it. I told her, but she wouldn’t listen, and now you’re gonna dump her like yesterday’s garbage, and she’s gonna see you for exactly what you are.”

Declan says, “Keep going, idiot. My knife hasn’t been bloodied in four days. One more day and it’ll be a record, and I can’t have that.”

At the elevator bank, I press the call button and turn around, watching as Kieran drags Diego toward a parked SUV.

Walking backward, he meets my gaze.

“At least now she’ll know. You’re no good, especially not for her.”

Kieran opens the rear door of the SUV and shoves Diego inside.

Right before Kieran slams the door in his face, Diego leans over and hollers, “The only way you’d ever be good for anybody is if you were dead!”

Declan walks over to me, shaking his head, but I’m frozen in place as Diego’s final words echo over and over in my ears.