Anguish and fury warred across Cole’s face ashe caught her hand and slid his fingers between hers. “You don’thave to do this.”
“But I do,” she said. “He should know howlittle he means to everyone here.”
Cole’s gaze shifted from her to Malakai.“Just remember, you’re a dead man walking. This is all borrowedtime before I kill you.”
Some of Malakai’s color drained from his facebefore he smiled; it didn’t hide his uneasiness. Lexi smiled at thetruth within those words and squeezed Cole’s hand before releasingit.
CHAPTER 54
Turning to Malakai, she kept her faceimpassive as she clasped the tips of the fingers he’d extended toher. His lips skimmed back before he snatched hold of her hand.
Somehow, Lexi managed to keep herself fromreacting as his grip ground her bones together. If she showed anyreaction to the pain he inflicted, Cole would be on him in aninstant, and chaos would ensue.
She kept her distance from Malakai as he ledher into the center of the dance floor. When he tried to put hishand on her waist, she pulled it away and threw it down as themusic started again.
“It’s not going to be a close dance,” shetold him.
Thinking he’d managed to upset her, hegrinned, and Lexi smiled coolly in return. Her smile rattled himenough that he frowned as the music started again.
At first, they moved awkwardly around thefloor together, but they slowly found a rhythm. Lexi pretended shewas dancing with Cole as she stared at him. No one else danced withthem, so it was easy to keep her focus on him.
The silver of his eyes burned as he stoodwith his hands fisted and his gaze on Malakai. Maverick stoodbeside him, with his hand on Cole’s chest. He said something Lexicouldn’t hear, but it did nothing to relax his nephew.
Maverick kept Cole from pouncing on them, butthe shadows on the wall behind them shifted unnaturally and dippedtoward Cole.
“You think I’m weak,” Malakai sneered,drawing her attention back to him. “Buthe’sthe weak one. Iwouldneverallow this to happen. If our roles werereversed, I never would have allowed him to touch you tonight.”
Lexi laughed. She was instigating him; sheshould just shut up and smile and get through this dance, but shecouldn’t let him talk about Cole that way.
“But your roles would never be reversed,” shetold him. “Iwantto fuck him. Irelishit, and it’sso good Icraveit, but I’d kill you before I ever let youinside me.”
Rage flared in his eyes, and she saw againhow much hedespisedher. His determination to have herwasn’t about love or desire. This was her punishment for rebukinghim; he would come after her again and again, but it wasn’t justbecause he sought to have her for himself.
He intended to make her pay.
She planned to do the same to him.
“And let’s face it, when the time finallycomes for him to go after you, heisgoing to kill you.There’s no doubt about that. You don’t stand a chance, and everyonein this room knows it…including you.”
Malakai laughed before stepping closer.Though the sensation of his chest brushing against hers made hernauseous, Lexi refused to back away.
“You’ve got so many things wrong, Elexiandra.I don’t have to worry about your little dog because the Lord willkeep him in check, and once I fuck you,noone else everwill again. You’ll be too broken for such a thing by the time Ifinish with you.”
“You couldneverbreak me, youpathetic excuse for a man.”
His hand clamped down so fiercely on hersthat she nearly cried out, but she bit her lip and kept her phonysmile plastered in place.
Cole can’t know. Cole can’t know. Keep upyour shield and keep up pretenses.
Unexpectedly, Malakai spun her away beforejerking her back. She caught herself before crashing into his chestand staggered back, but he wasn’t finished.
Before she could fully regain her balance,his hand settled on her lower back and pulled her closer. Lexialmost kicked him in the nuts so hard his unborn children felt it,but the Lord’s gaze burrowing into her back stopped her.
If she kicked him,shewould be theone to start something. This whole time, she’d been so concernedabout Cole that she never consideredshemight unraveltoo.
Focusing on her breathing and maintaining hercalm, she stared at Malakai’s chest as she willed herself to getthrough the rest of this dance.
And then, Malakai’s hand descended from thesmall of her back… to her ass.
