Torren's POV
I waited before the door, staring at the big brute of a bouncer. He was my best option for a sight since the doctor seemed to be taking forever to open the door.
I sized him up. He had a bigger body than I do, bigger biceps, and looked to spend more of his personal time in a gym than outside it.
I snorted as I watched him. He seemed like one of those deluded folks that think bodybuilding equals strength. I could take him on without batting an eye. I could…
Then I thought, why was I even sparing my brain cells thinking about a bodyguard? I knew the answer, though. He was a distraction, a distraction to keep my thoughts from straying to thinking about the very person I shouldn't think about, the person behind that door. I couldn't explain why; couldn't even fathom why I would even be thinking about her, yet I do, for some hellish bloody reason.
Yes, she was beautiful. That had never been a reason for me to look at a female like I desired her. She was feisty too. She successfully took on almighty Karl and bent him to her will. But that also isn't enough reason for her to feature in my thoughts the way she did.
I shifted my gaze to the door, picking up the shuffle of footsteps behind the door. Just what the hell was taking the doctor forever? But then I thought again about the shuffle of footsteps, about everything. What if she was playing me like she did Karl, deliberately making me wait by the door while she went about her business in the room?
I grunted, my face darkening into a frown. I wasn't Karl, whom she could toy with. I was Torren, Torren Draven. I charged for the door. The big brute bodyguard tried to stop me, pulling fast between me and the door.
"Get out of my way…" I snapped.
"I am sorry, I can't—"
Well, I didn't let him finish. I swung my fist fast at his face. The crushing noise of breaking bones was music to my soul. He staggered back a foot and then went down immediately, like the sack of muscles that he is.
Karl might complain later, rebuking me for my short temper, but at least, I'd had my fun. And I wasn't wrong. I could take him easily. One punch was all it took.
I pushed the door now, barging in, into the room. My gaze fell instantly on her, and my eyes darkened. What was the traitor, Mrs. Vance, doing here?
She quickly dropped back from helping the doctor with the zip to her dress. Her face crumbled tight with fear at the sight of me.
I strolled into the room, ignoring the fact that the doctor was glaring hard at me. "What are you doing here, traitor?" I demanded.
"I—" she began, her chin trembling, just like her hands on her tattered dress. "I was—"
"What does it look like she was doing here, Torren Draven?" The doctor snapped. "She was obviously helping me with my dress." She nudged her jaw to the dress.
"That still isn't an excuse." I challenged, still unconcerned about the obvious hate in the doctor's eyes at me. I have been hated by so many people that I have lost the ability to care. So I was… but for some rather strange reason, I found my tone dropped some shade lower when our eyes locked in a battle of stares. For some reasons, I seemed to concede defeat first, looking away from her. "She knows. "I paused, swallowing hard for heaven knows why. "This maid knows not to attend to visitors. She's been banned—"
"Why?" the doctor demanded, tone and posture challenging.
"Because she is a traitor."
The doctor stepped forward, clearly more interested in the issue than she should be. "And why should that matter? Why should that determine why she shouldn't be allowed to attend to visitors."
I wanted to think up a better response than "she was a traitor" or "it was the rule," but I couldn't. I turned to the maid. "I believe you are done here already, so leave," I ordered her.
"Yes, Lord Torren." She bowed her head, hurrying out of the room.
Just before she could disappear out of the room completely, she turned, and something soft of a smile passed between her and the doctor.
I turned to the door, who has shifted to me now, her eyes hostile as ever.
I wanted to know what the bromance was between her and Mrs. Vance, but then I shrugged my shoulders. Why should I even bother myself about a traitor and a doctor who seemed to be getting more and more on my nerves the longer she breathes before me?
"What do you want?" she demanded. Then her gaze narrowed on me. "How did you even get past Alex? He shouldn't have let you in."
"Oh! That," I grinned. "I have my ways, and for the reason why I am here, I was asked to show you—" My voice trailed off to quietness when she stopped staring at me. She steered all her concentration to the opened door, looking beyond it.
She ambled quietly to it, and she gasped, not from fright, but more from fear and rage. She looked from the limp form of her bodyguard on the floor in the corridor to me.
"What did you do to Alex?" she demanded, practically yelling at me, her chin quivering, eyes blazing murder.
Now, I found that cute. The hate in her eyes was just the right amount I wanted. Then she knows I am different from Karl. I don't have his patience, nor do I care about it.
"I put him out of commission for a while. He should come through in a couple of minutes." I smirked. "So now, let's go. I need to show you around."
She backed into the room, her posture straight and defiant. "I am not coming, not without my bodyguard, and I will have to report this to your—"
My irritation spiked up a million fold at that. What does she think I am? a kid whom she could report to his parent, or whatever.
I grunted and wanted to snap at her, but knowing women like her, that would just spark a whole new debate. "Come with me now, while I am still nice, or you will have more to worry about than an unconscious bodyguard."
She tilted her chin up, eyes sweeping me with malice. "And what the hell does that mean, Torren Draven? You'll beat me up too."
"No! Of course I won't. I wouldn't touch a woman. But I could break a man's bones, even while he is still unconscious. And if you don't believe I can, dare me and see what happens." I said, and I nudged my jaw to the limp bodyguard until she got the memo.
She wanted to protest but thought about it, and she grunted. "Fine. I will come with you. But your brothers are going to find out about this."
"Well, I hope they do." I said, and I walked out of the room. I glanced back to make sure she was following.
She kept behind me.
We continued down the corridor in silence and then the stairs. While we were passing by the grand hall for the outside, I snatched a bottle of whiskey from the home bar.
I don't give a damn that Karl would complain that I am drinking in the morning again. For some strange reason, my nerves kind of need it. I felt a little too hot when I shouldn't.
It was like the continued knowledge of her walking behind me, following closely after me, was making me burn like my body housed a furnace.
I bit off the cork and slapped the bottle to my lips as we pulled up outside the manor, the afternoon sun hot on my face.
I glanced back as I chugged on the drink, letting the cold, yet burning, liquid sting my dry throat. Her brows were narrowed not with hate now but disdain. "You might want to go easy on that thing. Drinking is bad, and drinking so early in the morning is dangerous for your kidneys."
I cleaned my mouth with my sleeves and gave her my vest, fuck-you grin. "And you might want to keep your opinions to yourself, Missus. They are much worse for my kidneys."
Before she could work out a counter, which the pouting of her lips suggested, I walked back into the sun, speaking to her over my shoulder. "Why don't I show you the very people who need your advice?" I said. "And I suggest you cover your nose with something. Don't say I didn't warn you." I said, already pulling my shirt to substitute as a mask for my nose. I marched down the field for the pack's clinic, her heels digging the grass noisily behind me.