Page 168 of Lessons in Cruelty

I’ll never forget how stunned he looked as I mourned that squirrel. The slack-jawed fascination as I dug out a little grave and buried it. The wreath of flowers I laid on top. How I sat there, sobbing, until the rain had drenched us both and my teeth were chattering together from the cold.

He never did it again.

At least, not when I was around.

I taught him to be kind to animals.

He taught me to be kind to myself.

Staring up at him now, I wish we could just go back to the woods. Back in time, to when we were so young.

Before shit got so fucking complicated.

And for just a second, his moss-green eyes reflect the same desperation. He scans my face, his smirk fading as his mouth slowly tilts down. His hand tightens on the strap of the duffle, his muscles trembling.

“Did he fuck you?” he growls.

I jerk my hand away. Those words slam into me so hard, he might as well have kicked me. “That’s none of your fucking business!”

His eyes flicker over my face again, and that smirk pulls at his lips. “That’s what I thought.”

He slings one of the duffel bags over his shoulder and grabs me with his free hand.

“Kai!” I gasp, but he’s already dragging me up the stairs.

Chapter 41

Kai

Haven only struggles when we get to the first-floor landing. By then, there’s a fire burning inside me, and only one way to extinguish it. If she’d bolted out the front door, I’d have chased her down anyway.

I need to hurt something.

Haven tugs at her bags one more time, then yanks her arm free. I love how her eyes go round in surprise, like she didn’t think she had the strength.

She doesn’t.

I let her go.

That way, she’ll lead me right where I want to go.

She turns and sprints down the hall, and I follow, duffel bags and all. By the time she reaches the door at the end of the hallway, I’m on her heels.

Haven grabs the door jamb and swings around, crashing into the wall. As I rush past her into the room, I glimpse her grabbing the door handle and slamming the door closed to trap me inside the room.

Cute.

But I’m too fast and too strong. Too fucking hungry for this.

I drop her bags, grab the door, and haul it open, dragging her back inside the room before she can let go of the handle.

She whirls around, trying to run out. Her breath hitches in her throat in sheer panic, and I can sense the scream building inside her as I latch onto her hair.

I tug her down so hard she falls on her back with a grunt of pain.

She rolls onto her side and throws me a pleading look as I slowly reach behind me and push the door shut with my fingertips.

Her mouth opens for a scream.