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“I was in the area. Thought I’d come see my favorite girl.” His voice sends shivers down my spine. He used to call me his favorite girl, back before he became my biggest nightmare. Things weren’t always bad between us—there was a brief time he wasn’t the monster I know him to be now. That’s why I’ll never let my guard down with a man again. One moment they’re your knight in shining armor, the next they’re making you bleed from their touch.
“You’re not welcome here,” I spit at him through clenched teeth.
“Now, is that any way to treat your fiancé?” His tone is filled with humor, obviously finding this situation amusing since he’s an absolute fucking psychopath.
“You’re not my fiancé.” And you never will be. I’d rather fall in a vat of acid than be tied to him.
“Oh, that’s right. My girl went and got married without me, to a stand-in husband.”
The nerve on this fucker. He’s baiting me. He’s purposely trying to get me to lose my shit, and I can’t help but fall for it. The sight of him has me on edge; my entire body is vibrating with anger, fear, and worry.
I knew Zayan was around because of the flowers, but I was hoping to avoid ever seeing him. I don’t know how I’m going to explain this to Rush. I didn’t want any of them to find out about Zayan, but it’s too late for that now.
“My real husband. Not a stand-in,” I say with false confidence.
“We’ll see about that, dahlia. Is that why you’ve been ignoring me? Your husband keeping you from me?”
Panic tries to creep up my body at his words. They aren’t a threat, but a promise. A promise that Marnix will pay for my sins if I don’t come back to him.
“No, jackass. I don’t want anything to do with you.”
“Even your parents are worried about you. At least that’s what they said when I went to visit them last week.”
What the actual fuck? He needs to stay away from them. They have no idea what kind of monster he is. I tried to protect them from knowing what he put me through. They don’t need to look at me with pity and shame when they find out how easily Zayan had me under his control and all the ways he broke me.
Did he tell them I got married to someone else? Shit, shit, shit.
“Leave them out of this.” My fists clench by my side, and I can feel rage down to my bones.
Zayan smirks, his dark brow raising in amusement. “What? You don’t want me to have a relationship with Mama and Papa? They’ve invited me over for dinner again. Asked me to bring you next time. How will we strengthen our bond if we don’t spend more time together?”
He needs to shut the fuck up and leave before I murder his ass right here. I don’t know how I’d explain a dead body in the middle of my restaurant, but it’d be worth it.
“Tara.” Rush’s voice is angry, but also filled with worry. He wants to step in, but he’s also aware by now how much I hate people trying to push in and take over.
“It’s fine, Rush.” I spin slightly, looking up at Rush as I place my hand on his chest to calm him. His muscles ripple beneath my touch, and I hear a faint growl behind me from Zayan. “You need to leave right now, Zayan.”
Zayan’s eyes flick to Rush then back down to me as he grins. “Is it the gifts? You didn’t like my flowers? They were always your favorite.” He tries to move closer to me, but stops when he sees Rush pushing closer against my back. Zayan might be a complete dick, but he’s not stupid. He can see Rush’s size compared to his, and knows he’ll be pummelled in one hit if he gets any closer.
“No, they were your favorite. Now get the fuck out,” I all but scream at him, no longer feeling like I’m in control of my emotions. I just feel this wave of fury at seeing him and being reminded of the awful shit he put me through.
“I can’t leave, dahlia. I know you still love me. You don’t know how to live without me.” He sounds like an obsessed man, one who can’t really understand what he’s saying.
Does he really not grasp the hell he put me through?
That’s it. I’m sick of this fucker. I give him an evil smile, probably looking deranged right now. He meets my gaze with a small smile of his own, looking satisfied, like he finally broke through to me. Like I’m dumb enough to fall for his charms again.
I slowly walk toward him, stopping only inches away. Rush doesn’t say anything, but I can feel the tension rolling off of him. Leaning forward, I make sure Zayan hears my words clearly. “I never fucking loved you. You’re a monster who tried to destroy me. I’ve lived without you for seven years now, and made it just fine. I don’t need you. I’m better off without you.” I rear my hand back, and punch him right in the face, feeling pain radiating through my knuckles the moment I make contact.
His head snaps back, but he only chuckles. He spits the blood out of his mouth before he quickly spins, pinning me to the wall. Grabbing me by the throat, he slams his lips to mine in a punishing kiss. I turn my face away, trying to fight him off.
“Fuck, you taste just as good as I remember. I can’t wait to break that defiance out of yo—” His body is suddenly ripped from mine.
“Get the fuck off of her.” I hear Rush’s booming voice before the sound of flesh hitting flesh fills my ears. Rush is leaning over Zayan—who’s now on the ground—throwing punch after punch at his face. Zayan tries to fight him, but Rush is too strong. Seeing Zayan pinned down in this position reminds me of how he used to do the same to me.
Rush looks deranged, like he’s not really himself right now. He looks like a man out for blood, and although I should find it terrifying, my sick self finds it fucking hot watching his muscles shift under his tight shirt, seeing him spill Zayan’s blood. Seeing him take down the man who almost killed me—the man who would’ve let me die for his own fantasies.
Shit. I’ve got issues.
