"Are you out of your fucking mind?!" Jonathan's father roared and he winced at the sound. His head was pounding from the beating he endured.

"Look at you! You're a fucking mess all because you won't leave that girl alone," he seethed and smacked the back of his head.

"Ah! Dad. I'm in enough pain," he grumbled and leaned away from him and rested his swollen face against the cool glass in the car. "This wasn't because of Nadia..."

"Bullshit. So, there's another reason we found you in the middle of that field with 'I'm a rapist' written on your forehead?"

Jonathan grimaced and tugged the hood of his sweatshirt further down his head. Those assholes couldn't just leave him bloodied and beaten, they had to brandish him with that demoralizing phrase.

"I didn't think so," his father scoffed. "She's not stupid, Jonathan. You really think she wouldn't hire the best protection for herself with all that money we had to give her?" he shook his head. "You're treading thin ice with S.A.F. as it is and that girlfriend of yours is no better getting arrested for breaking into Philip Shola's hotel room. What the fuck kind of game are you two playing?"

"Don't worry about it, Dad. I've got everything under control."

"I knew you weren't rehabilitated. It's one thing to date Nadia's kind and be friends with them for the public eye, but you can't ruin our pure blood or prominent name like this. You're a Hatch for God's sake, we may not be the Rodawsons but we have always been a favored family in the eyes of the Ringleader." His father gripped the back of Jonathan's neck to force him to look at him. "And you're not going to be the fuck up that ruins it for us."

"I'm not going to fuck up anything for you, father," Jonathan mumbled. "I learned my lesson."

"Mm, I'll believe it when I see it. I've booked a re-education session for you and Ciara. I think you need a reminder of what's at stake for you and this will be good for you two as a couple."

Jonathan's heart thumped and his eyes grew wide. "Dad, no. I don't need that."

"Calm down, boy. I'm not sending you to the camp, but I will if this shit continues," he huffed. "And keep your hood down when we get in the house. I don't want your mother seeing that on your face."

He nodded and pulled the hood lower. "Thank you."

"You can thank me by taking your relationship seriously. I don't like having the society's conduct enforcers checking in on us."

"Yes, father," he sighed and leaned against the door frame and closed his eyes.

"Never has a Hatch been regarded so low. I just don't know what to do with you," his father grumbled.

Jonathan ignored his mutterings and a small smile tugged at his chapped lips. He'd get through this re-introduction into the S.A.F. and he and Ciara would play the part for a while, but he would have his little kitten.

He agreed to be Luca's stupid goons' informant about the society to keep himself alive, but he didn't give a fuck if they took them down. Nadia would be his long before that happened and he'd be free to indulge and torture her to his heart's content.

That attack on her was just a test. He and Adam had something far better than that planned. Luca still hadn't realized Adam's connection to him or that Jonathan had so many of his own loyal people working right under his nose.

He pulled his phone from his pocket and shielded his screen from his father. He stared at a picture that his men sent him of Nadia. He dragged a finger over her face and his heart thumped at the joy in her green eyes.

God, it felt so good to touch her.

Her body felt just like he'd remembered. Soft, supple and she smelled just like he'd remembered too. Spice and flowers....

Mm...she'll be all mine soon...I always get what I want.

A/N: Ugh... I don't like getting into Jonathan's head 🤢