The pain keeps building. It crushes every ounce of life she resurrected in me—until only ashes remain. And beneath them burns an unquenchable thirst for blood.
I shoot to my feet, rip the thin monitor from the desk, and smash it against the far wall. The monsters inside me want to tear me apart—and everything around me. I overturn the table and storm out of my study.
My feet don’t stop until I reach Bruno’s room.
She’s sitting on the couch with a book on her lap. Bruno barks the moment he sees me, jumping down and positioning himself between her and me.
I pull out my gun and aim it at his head.First, I’ll end this bastard dog.I flick off the safety, but before I can pull the trigger, she rushes between him and the gun.
“What are you doing?” she gasps.
Bruno circles her before falling into position at her side, a deep growl thrumming in his chest. I step closer. He lunges. I throw him off with one hand while snapping the gun toward him with the other.
She grabs my hand, her fingers trembling, covering the gun with her other hand.
“No! Please! Don’t!” she shouts, her voice fractured.
Antonio rushes in. He moves to Bruno and pins him down.
I grab her face with my free hand.
“I don’t take orders from a slut who’s fucking her adopted brother.” I spit the words onto her horror-filled face, then shove her away in disgust.
I’m disgusted by her. But I’m more disgusted by myself—for loving this woman.
She doesn’t let go of my hand or the gun. I shove her hands away, sending her back. She stumbles a few steps but lunges forward again when I raise the gun toward the barking bastard.
She stands in front of him, tears streaming down her face.
“Please don’t kill him.”
I level the gun at her head. Bruno thrashes in Antonio’s grip, barking and growling. My molars grind, scraping against each other.
I can’t kill her. I don’t want to kill her.
I want to erase her entirely. From this world. From mine.
I want to erase the day I kidnapped her from my life. I want to erase these last eight nights and days from my existence.
I want to end this woman—who became my world, only to tear it apart.
I lower the gun.
“I’ll show the world what kind of whore you are,” I grit out before turning away.
She won’t let me move. She falls to my feet, clutching my leg.
“Please, don’t do that,” she sobs.
I try to push her aside, but she won’t let go.
“You can only beg for one thing at a time. Either it’s this pathetic dog’s life, or your reputation as a slut.” The words taste like poison. But she deserves every one of them.
She looks up, sobbing, her face twisted in agony. “I beg you. Please don’t do this. It will ruin everything.”
My nostrils flare. My jaw, tightly clenched, twitches. “Didn’t you feel an ounce of this remorse when you played with my fucking heart?” My voice is thick with hatred. “I’ve never hated anything more than I hate you, Avira Bennett.”
I push her away harder this time, freeing my leg, and storm toward my room, dialing Robin. She follows me inside.
