God of Ruin (Legacy of Gods #4) by Rina Kent

Second, I walked in on Nikolai nearly falling off the balcony in his sleep and had to pull him inside with Gareth’s help.

He asked me if I’m still seeing Landon, and when I didn’t say anything, he walked away without a word.

Niko has always been my and Maya's champion. The brother who walked around school announcing that if a hair on either of our heads was touched, they’d have to start preparing for their lifetime vacation in hell.

He was also the one who hid our troublemaking habits from Mom and Dad, though he did give us an earful about it sometimes. Other times, he joined in.

Mostly, he gave us space to live outside the shackles of our mafia princess lives.

So the fact that he’s both mad and disappointed in me makes me feel like shit. Gareth said he’ll come around, but he didn’t sound like he believed his own words.

To make things even worse, I’m trapped by this asshole as soon as I’m finished with classes and walking down the street.

His name is Rory, if I remember correctly. I know him because I’ve often seen pictures of him with Landon at their tacky Elite parties. The reason I remember him so well is because he’s usually beside Nila, whom I personally researched after I heard her talking in Landon’s room.

I was just curious. Nothing more. Okay, maybe I was a little jealous and wanted to see who I was up against.

At any rate, Rory decided that today of all days was the perfect time to make my acquaintance. He’s taller than me, a bit too lean, and has curly blond hair that looks too big for his head. The most striking feature about him, however, is the bloodshot eyes that could be cast in a horror movie.

When he first interrupted my walk, he was wearing sunglasses, but now, he doesn’t seem to care for his rich English boy image.

Under different circumstances, I would’ve faked a smile and pushed past him, but he went ahead and pissed me right the fuck off.

As I was reading Lan’s message—and cursing Maya for the stunt she pulled—this asshole confiscated my phone, held me at arm’s length, and called Lan to tell him blatant lies.

“You’re welcome.” He dangles the phone in front of me after he hangs up.

I snatch it back, rage building at the base of my belly and a thousand curses tingling at the tips of my fingers.

Rory stares over the length of me with complete apathy and obvious disregard as if I’m a doll in a store window. “I have no clue what he sees in you.”

Excuse you?

I’m about to type that, but he continues, “You’re nothing more than a cunt that he could get in the hundreds if he as much as wants to. What’s so special about yours?”

The audacity of this motherfucker. You messed with the wrong person today of all days.

But before I can type a few choice words, he steps into my space, trapping me against the wall of an old closed pub.

“You’re distracting him from what’s important, and we can’t have that. Without Landon plotting mayhem, our club won’t survive.”

That’s a good thing, if you ask me.

But preppy boy Rory doesn’t seem to agree, because his eyes narrow on me in their bloodshot glory. “If you’re gone from the picture, everything will go back to the way it’s supposed to be.”

I type with jerky movements, then show him. “You sure you want to hurt me? One, your balls will be in jeopardy because they’ll be brutalized by yours truly. Two, Landon won’t take kindly to that.”

“Who said anything about hurting you?” A knowing smirk lifts his lips, completely unhinged and entirely evil. “Violence is never really the answer when something a lot tamer will make a better impact. See, Lan might dote on you, but you are and will always be just a phase, and I’ve figured out exactly how to end his irrational fascination. Do you know the one thing Lan doesn’t care for? No? Let me enlighten you, then. He completely loses interest in soiled goods.”

I’m still processing his words when he leans in, pushes my pigtails to the side, and sucks on my neck like a disgusting hyena.

I shove at him, but he’s surprisingly strong for someone who’s made of bones.

So I lift my knee and hit him as hard as I can.

His howl rings in the air as he falls back. I immediately slap a hand on where his lips touched my neck. Judging by how much it aches, the bastard got me good.

He comes back, face red and fist raised in the air, but before he can attack me, my bodyguard immobilizes him and throws him on the cobbled street.

Rory falls on his ass but quickly stands up, snarls at me with the animosity of an unruly animal, then runs away.

My bodyguard inspects me. “Are you okay, miss?”

I nod, still clutching my neck. For some reason, I don’t want anyone to see what the asshole has done.

“Do you need me to go after him and break his legs?” my bodyguard asks.

I shake my head and sign, “I already brutalized his balls as I previously promised. Just drive me home.”

Any desire for a walk has completely disappeared. I just need to hide this stupid mark first.

We ride to my apartment in eternal silence.

I pull up Landon’s texts and type a few of my own.

Maya is just being a little shit. Never mind her. Like you and Bran, we’ve always been overprotective of each other.

You’re right. Fuck the forbidden love concept.