“I’m aware, Princess.” He steps closer.
The corner of my lips quivers at the nickname.
“It’s ethically and morally wrong to enter a women’s restroom in public.”
He stops behind me, his gaze fixed on my reflection. Our eyes lock in the mirror, neither of us blinking.
“I’m sure it’s not more ethically or morally wrong than kidnapping a woman.”
“What are you doing here?”
My voice comes out strained. My head feels heavy. His presence alone seems to disrupt every function in my body. The simplest task—breathing—has become impossibly difficult. Even standing upright feels like an effort; I’m sweating.
He lifts his hand. No gloves.
His arm slides around my waist, his palm pressing flat against my stomach, and he pulls me back until I’m flush against his chest.
My eyes flutter closed. A violent shiver ripples through my body. His warmth engulfs me completely. The familiar scent of cedarwood—his scent—makes the memories surge back to life.
He lowers his face. I tilt my head reluctantly, opening my eyes to watch him in the mirror.
“I tried. It didn’t work.” He presses the words into the curve of my neck.
A shaky moan escapes me at the feel of his mouth on my skin. Something inside me begins to liquefy, starting at that point of contact and pooling all the way down to the place between my legs.
His other hand covers mine, the one clutching my skirt. For the first time, our skin meets without the barrier of gloves. Goosebumps prickle across my arm.
“I missed you,” I breathe.
Salvario
I can’t tell her I missed her too—that word is laughably insufficient for what I endured without her.
“Did you send me away because I was useless to your revenge? After all, that’s the only reason I was there. Without that, I was nothing.” She murmurs, uncertainty flickering in her eyes.
“I could answer you. But I won’t. I want you to feel the hurt I felt, the agony of thinking I meant nothing to you.”
She frowns, pulls away, and turns to face me. “When did I ever say you meant nothing to me?”
My jaw tightens. “You fucking lied to me.”
“How could I not? You would have tortured and killed Avi.” Her voice is a strained whisper.
“I don’t blame you for lying at the start, Princess. But you lied again. The second time, knowing how fucking devastated I was, thinking you loved someone else while you were playing with my heart.” The words grind out of me.
Her expression crumples. “I was afraid. I know you’re not a kind man. I was afraid you’d try to correct your mistake once you found out.”
She thinks I’m a monster. So why does that thought fucking sting, even if it’s the truth?
She steps closer. “I’m sorry. I should have trusted you.”
I shake my head, a bitter smile tugging at my lips. “You shouldn’t have.”
She reaches for my hand. Her touch, soft and cool, meets the harsh, burnt surface of my skin. I flinch back instinctively, her eyes flood with more sadness.
“You didn’t hurt her, even after you knew the truth. That means you wouldn’t have, if I’d just told you. I should have trusted you.”
She reaches for my hand again, hesitantly. This time, I let her.
