Page 26 of The Coldest: Stay Dangerous Part 2

Both hands covering his right eye. Dark red liquid pouring from between all ten of his fingers.

His other eye stretches beyond its socket as he gapes at me, mouth open.

I think we’re both surprised more than anything.

“Oh shit.” I drop the shard onto the floor.

Rico’s teeth snap together as a growl erupts from his chest.

“You fucking BITCH!”

I scramble out of the way, climbing onto the bed as he charges toward me. Blood ripples through the air as he lets go of his face, but I turn around. Adrenaline has kicked in, and he left every door open in his haste to get to me.

My bare feet slap onto the floors as I pump my arms as hard as I can. He’s stumbling behind me, knocking into walls as he roars and curses me.

But the door to the suite is right there. Wide open. Waiting for me.

A slick hand clamps onto my arm and whips me into the sitting room at the last second. I scream out in frustration, but it’s cut off abruptly by two hands squeezing my neck.

My eyes balloon, both at the lack of air, and how bad Rico’s face is.

I cut him something serious.

A long gash cuts through his eyebrow, lid, to right before the apple of his cheek. Most of his face is covered with blood, but the rage in his good eye is still front and center.

“YOU STUPID BITCH!” he shrieks, lifting me by the neck and throttling me around. “LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO MY FACE!”

My hands scratch at his wrists, but he just tightens his hold and brings me into his space.

I refuse to let him snap my neck like this, so I take my palm and mash his cut.

He cries out, dropping me to cover his face.

Air rushing into my lungs feels like a burning sensation, but I cough through it, crawling on my hands and knees. I reach the coffee table, and use it to stand up, grabbing the look book in the middle.

Swinging my body around, I gain momentum and whack Rico on his cut again, making him drop to his knees.

“I HATE YOU!” I scream, my throat raw from him choking me. I hit him again as he palms his face.

“NOW YOUR OUTSIDE CAN MATCH HOW UGLY YOU ARE ON THE INSIDE!”

My body feels like it’s on fire. Distantly, I hear footfalls and shouts, but I can’t look away from Rico, cowering on the floor.

Who’s the coward now?

The power I feel is indescribable. I seriously doubt that anyone, dead or alive, has ever brought Richard Alvarez to his knees.

No one except me.

Sheesh, this is the wrong time to get turned on by myself.

A chuckle breaks me out of my reverie. Rico’s back quakes with laughter, making my face scrunch up.

Then, in one quick movement, I’m on my back.

Rico’s hands are around my neck again, but this time, he alternates between squeezing and picking me up to slam me back onto the floor.

“I’ma murk every muthafucka who loves you, Snow. A short list, but I’ll still have a ball,” he snickers.