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Cade kisses me hard, all teeth and tongue, taking what he wants without a second thought to what I’m willing to give. My hands press against his chest, trying to stop him, but he’s unmovable. Something isn’t right. I felt it earlier and I feel it now—the same chill in the air.
“I am Cade fucking Kingsley.” He grips my throat and stares at me, anger and hatred turning his eyes into two soulless black orbs. “They took everything from me… everything… and now I’m going to show them. I’m going to fucking destroy them.”
Fear washes over me, rendering me powerless against him. He isn’t making any sense… and yet, there’s something hovering just outside my thoughts. The final pieces of the puzzle that once slotted into place will reveal the truth.
“Mr. Kingsley,” a voice comes over the speaker. “We are almost at the house.”
“Saved by the bell.” Cade pulls away, smoothing down his hair. The way in which he swings between calm and composed to dark and deadly is terrifying. “But don’t get too comfortable, Mia. The fun hasn’t even begun yet.” He shoots me a dark look as I scramble to think of a way out of this.
All too quickly, the car pulls up to the house. Steeped in shadows it looks as welcoming as a dungeon. I contemplate refusing to move, but I know it will only result in Cade manhandling me inside, because no one will help. The driver wears the Quinctus crest on his jacket, so I know he won’t come running to my rescue. He’s paid to drive and not ask questions.
How the hell am I going to get out of this?
I tremble uncontrollably as he climbs out and opens the back door. Cade gets out first, offering me his hand. I knock it away and inhale a shuddering breath before I step out, smoothing my dress down.
“Good night, Mr. Kingsley. Miss Thompson.” The driver hurries back to his car—and, just like that, we’re alone.
Cade starts to undo the tie hanging around his neck. “Shall we?” He motions to the house. Nervous energy zips up and down my spine, a ball of dread swelling in my stomach.
“I can’t.” The words spill from my lips as I start backing away, the urge to run so strong I feel lightheaded.
I can’t do this.
I shouldn’t have to do this.
“Don’t make this any harder than it needs to be, Mia. You’re mine now. Quinctus, your father… they handed you over so easily.” My brows furrow, sweat beading along my neck, but he continues. “You know, I thought they’d question it more. When your name was pulled from the calix, I thought they’d at least turn on themselves…”
“Y-you… you put my name in there.” The pieces start falling into place. I can’t figure out the overall picture yet, but I know I’m getting closer. I feel it in my bones. “Why?”
“I think you know why, Mia.” He stalks toward me as I inch back, trying to keep a safe distance between us.
“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.” My pulse drums in my skull, everything happening too fast. I need time to think… I need time to find a way out of this.
“Don’t you?” His brow arches. “So you haven’t been sniffing around Quinctus? Around Cargill? You haven’t been asking questions? Playing detective?”
“I—” The words die on my tongue as his arm snaps out and grabs me, hoistin
g me up against his hard chest, making my heart lurch into my throat. “I told you, babe, I know everything about this town. All of its dark and dirty secrets.” His eyes pin me with a look of contempt. “I told you… and yet you still disobeyed me.”
“I am not yours to obey,” I screech, hammering my hands against his chest.
“Scream a little louder,” he chuckles. “It only makes it sweeter.”
“You’re sick,” I cry, unleashing all of my frustration and anger out on him. “You’re nothing more than a—”
He grips my wrists in a vise-like hold until I’m sure my bones will snap under the pressure. “Run, little mouse,” he snarls at me. “Run before the big, bad wolf catches up with you.”
I flinch at his use of Bexley’s name for me.
He knows.
Of course he knows. We should never have been so reckless, so careless. But being with Bexley is the only thing that made sense in this living nightmare.
A beat passes as I gawk at him, willing this to be some kind of sick nightmare. But it isn’t—it’s my grim reality. I shove him hard, taking off toward the woods. His dark chuckle pierces the air like gunfire. “You’re going to have to run faster than that.”
I kick off my heels and pump my legs faster. My heart races in my chest, the oxygen in my blood replaced with nothing but adrenaline and fear. I melt into the dense thicket, branches clawing at my skin and dress like monstrous fingers trying to claim my soul. The ground crunches beneath my feet, stabbing and cutting into my soles, leaving droplets of blood in their wake.
But I don’t stop.
