Black Thorns (Thorns Duet #2) by Rina Kent

Before, I believed the facts instead of believing in us.

I let my insecurities take control and wholeheartedly thought she’d left me.

Not now.

Now, I’ll fight for her.

I’ll be there if it means my fucking death.

The door creaks and I jump back, ready to punch whoever is coming in. Either I save her or I die trying.

A man with Asian looks steps in. He’s tall and has long hair, and sharp eye contact that only people in a high position of power, such as my grandfather, possess.

He stares at me for a second and I stare back, my hands balled into fists.

He doesn’t have a weapon or any guards with him, so I could possibly overpower him and step past him—

“I wouldn’t recommend it,” he cuts off my train of thought. “If you touch me, I’ll cut you, and even if by a miracle you manage to move past me, this place is full of guards. Armed guards.”

“What the fuck do you want? Where’s Naomi?”

“My name is Kai and I will be your host for the day.” He slides his attention to his watch. “Or for the next few minutes, anyway.”

I walk closer, squaring my shoulders. “I don’t care who the fuck you are.”

“You should. My name will be engraved in your memories, because that’s what will come to mind if you think about hurting Naomi. If you look at another woman, I’ll be there. If you make her cry, I’ll also be there. The glint of my sword will be the last thing you see before life leaves your miserable limbs.”

“You don’t scare me.” I stare at him square in the eyes. “How Naomi and I treat each other is only up to us.”

“It’ll be up to me, too.”

“Who the fuck do you think you are?”

“The one who saved her from assault when you weren’t even in the picture. I killed for her once and doing it again will be my pleasure.”

“You…killed Riko’s boyfriend, Sam?”

“Ex-boyfriend, since he’s rotting as we speak.”

So the reason I haven’t been able to find the miserable bastard isn’t because he moved to another country, but because he’s already dead.

He was killed by this man. Kai. Somehow, that makes me see him in a different light. He’s the reason why she wasn’t scarred to the point of no return and I can’t help but respect him for that—regardless of his reasons for doing it.

“While I’m grateful for what you did for her in the past, she’s mine and I won’t allow you to get near her.”

“I’m not interested in her that way. She’s our princess and I’m merely her guardian angel—a fallen one, at that.”

“Where’s is she? Take me to her.”

“No need.” He sighs. “She went through all this trouble to get you out. First, she figured out Akira’s bids for his next business venture by playing that fool, Ren. Then she took it to your grandparents with the help of your uncle.”

“Naomi went to see my grandparents?”

“Yes, and she begged them to help you by blocking Akira’s investment from behind the scenes. Of course, your grandparents weren’t thrilled to have to pull out the big guns and wanted her to end your relationship, but she didn’t agree. Instead, she told your grandmother that they won’t lose you like they lost your father, and that was the deciding point for them. Once Akira’s plots were halted, he lost it and might have taken it out on Ren.” He pauses and smiles as if reliving an image. “Anyway, in exchange for her to stop blocking Akira’s projects, she made him agree to divorce her while remaining an ally to her father. She’s currently threatening Abe that if he uses her or you—or her sister—she’ll make Akira withdraw the alliance and all his funds. Among other things that she now has over him.”

My lips part as I listen to Kai’s retelling of the events. I can’t believe she did all of that on her own.

Naomi isn’t the same, after all. She was always strong, but she’s now a force to be reckoned with.

“Speechless? Good.” Kai grabs me by the shoulder hard. So hard that it feels like he’ll break my bones, then whispers in a low, calm but threatening tone, “You’d better remember her sacrifices until the day you die. Or I’ll be there to make sure you take your last breaths.”

“Sebastian!”

My gaze snaps to the flash of movement behind Kai. Naomi runs toward me, her fair cheeks flushed and her red lipstick making her appear paler, softer, and so fucking beautiful.

Her black hair flies behind her as she rushes forward and physically pushes Kai out of the way.

“Go away, Kai,” she tells him impatiently.

He steps back, then gives me one final warning look before he turns around and leaves.

Naomi grabs me by the arms, her gaze searching everywhere, for a wound, I suppose. The last time we were here, I nearly died. But I didn’t, because of her.

Seven years later, this one hell of a woman saved me for the second time. And I will make sure she doesn’t have to do it again for as long as we live.

“I’m okay,” I say softly, my voice full of emotion.

“Oh, thank God. When I saw you through the footage, I thought the bastards hit you or did something.”

“I’m really fine.”