Ifeltlike I had no humanity left.
Her gaze locked on mine as anger and something else flashed across her face. “What the hell are you doing?” she yelled, her voice loud and sharp.
I wanted to wreck her, and her attitude. I wanted to punish her for the blackmail, the text, the torture of seeing her every fucking day and not being allowed to touch her.
I could see the mix of fear and anger on her face, the hint of defiance making me want to break her even more. The pulse of danger between us quickened, blurring the line between desire and destruction.
I leaned in, my grip tightening on her wrists a little too hard, savoring the way her breathing hitched as she fought the urgeto surrender or fight more. I didn’t give her another second to decide, spinning her around until she was trapped between me and the tree.
Finally, I leaned in closer, my lips near her ear. “Don’t you love chaos, Evie? Now it’s being brought right to you.”
I’d make her mine in ways she couldn’t even imagine,ruinher, and she’d savor every dark, twisted second of it—just like I would.
Chapter 14
Evie
Ahand covered my mouth again, but this time I bit down. For a split second, I thought I might have hurt him—the hiss from the mask made me kick again, but it had no effect. It was like biting into iron, his reaction unnervingly calm. Panic surged through me, but I refused to let it take over.
I struggled, my mind racing as I tried to break free, but the arms around me were unyielding, pulling me further into the suffocating darkness. I couldn’t see his face, but I could feel his breath against my neck, hot and slow, as if he were savoring my panic.
I knew eyes had been on me, and I knew the guys had been worried about threats. I should have paid more attention.
Instead, I let myself get dragged into the woods without a fight. I tried to wiggle my arm free and reach down, but he grabbed it, already anticipating my move. It’s not like I kept my knife hidden, but he must have watched me long enough to know it was there.
I twisted, trying to get a better look at him—his build, the way he moved. It all felt too familiar, but the mask hid his face.
Even the deep dark scent made me think of Aiden.
But he wouldn’t do this. He wouldn’t have a reason to.
Panic flowed through me, but I forced myself to breathe, tofocus. This felt too wrong, too predatory. Aiden could be rough, sure, but he wasn’t reckless. He played by the rules, and this was breaking every rule I could think of.
My mind spun between recognizing the man who had me and the terrifying idea that it wasn’t him at all.
I stomped down hard, aiming for his foot, but he twisted out of the way, dragging me farther back until the noise from the party faded into a distant hum. All I could hear now was the crunch of sticks underfoot, my own frantic breathing, and the steady, ominous thud of his heart pressed against my back.
“Let go of me,” I gasped as he finally lowered his hand, my voice shaking with more fury than fear.
“Now, why would I do that?” he asked, his voice low, mocking. The sound came out distorted—metallic and unnatural. If it was Aiden, why would he disguise his voice? I felt my stomach twist as he leaned in closer, his gloved fingers brushing against my jaw. I knew Aiden’s voice, every dip and growl, but this... this voice was warped. But maybe that’s what he wanted—to throw me off.
“Because I told you to, and things will end badly for you if you don’t listen,” I said through gritted teeth, trying to push down the rising fear, trying to convince myself this was all another one of Aiden’s games.
Maybe he was trying to match my craziness and get back at me for it.
“Are you sure? I don’t see your bodyguard tonight. Who is going to punish me for this?” His voice came through the mask, an unnatural growl that sent a shiver down my spine. I couldn’t recognize a single hint of anyone I knew, only the chilling, altered tone that sounded both familiar and foreign.
My heart raced—was he talking about Aiden? Would Aiden ask about himself, or was this another way to throw me off?
His fingers trailed down my neck, a slow reminder he could squeeze it closed at any second.
“What if you don’t have to worry about him and you actually have to worry about me?” I asked, trying to steady my voice.
“Usually, I would say you might be right.” His voice dropped lower. “But tonight, no one is stopping me.”
The way he said it, with absolute certainty, sent a chill through me. “You don’t know that.”
“Oh, but I do. I brought you out here when no one was looking. I know for a fact no one will think twice about not seeing you around for a few minutes, and like I said, your bodyguard isn’t with you tonight. No one knows where you are.”
