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The most sinister smile spans across the woman’s—Nat—scarred face. “It’d be my pleasure.” She slips a set of brass knuckles on as she heads into the kitchen. Without warning, she cranes her arm back and slams her fist into his side. Austin groans, dropping to his knees and dropping the glass. It shatters across the floor. Nat picks up a piece and presses it against his cheek.
My eyes widen and my lips instinctively part. “Stop—”
Amelia slaps her hand across my mouth and hastily shakes her head, panic flowing from her eyes. But it’s too late. Axel is already turning, his dark gaze landing on mine. He studies me without an ounce of emotion in his cold eyes, causing a chill to spread across my skin.
I’ve spent a lot of the last few years crossing paths with sketchy, bad people, but never have I seen such hollowness in a person’s eyes. It tears my next breath out of my chest. Makes me way too aware that I might not be leaving this condo ever again. Makes me regret a lot of choices in my life. It’s amazing how a few single seconds can do that to you. How a few single seconds can have such an impact on your life. How is that possible? How can you spend years not realizing a lot of things? Not knowing what you want, not being able to see things for what they really are, then suddenly, some six-foot-something man with the emotional deformity of a zombie gives you a withering stare and all that stuff you lazily wondered about abruptly makes sense?
“You must be Hadley Harlyton,” he says calmly.
Even his calmness is freaking me out.
I may be able to pull a chill act out of my ass in almost any given situation, but this time, I’m not so sure how my skills are going to hold up. Deep down, a part of me wonders if that might be for the better. If perhaps I should just keep my mouth and be cooperative. But considering Austin is currently getting his ass kicked for doing just that, I decide to go the Hadley Harlyton route.
“That depends on who’s asking?” I manage to say in a fairly even voice, although my throat is drier than Londyn’s brownies.
His face remains stoic as he studies me. “Are you asking me to introduce myself?”
I shrug. “You haven’t yet, so maybe you should. I mean, if you really want to know my name, then I should probably know yours first. Otherwise, you’re just some strange dude asking for my name, and I never give strangers my name.”
Everyone in the room is staring at me, some of their lips twitching in irritation, while others look fuming mad. Liam, though, looks mildly amused, so I deem him my favorite. Well, at least amongst all the creepy people in this room.
“Axel Maeiriellie.” He gives a dramatic pause. “Does that change your mind on giving me your name?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. It depends on who you are, Axel Maeiriellie, and what you’re planning to do with this Hadley Harlyton.” I cross my legs and overlap my hands around my knees, mostly to keep my legs from shaking. “So, how about we start with that, and then I’ll decide?”
Holy effing, I’m about to piss my pants. My heart is thrashing in my chest so forcefully I swear it’s trying to escape. Usually, I call the thing a stupid dumbass, but I think it might be thinking smartly this time around.
With his eyes trained on me, he shifts back and rests his elbow against the countertop behind him. “You know, usually when someone talks to me like that, I stop the conversation before they can even finish.”
My palms dampen with sweat. “Yet, you didn’t do that.”
“I know.” He rubs his lips together, his gaze searing into me. “I’m trying to figure out why.”
“Because, while I’m feisty and opinionated, I’m also a bit amusing and endearing?” I suggest with hope. “At least, that’s what some people say.”
“But those people aren’t me,” he says, the epitome of calm.
“I know,” I reply just as calmly. “But it’s the only way I know how to act. I mean, I could be fake and pretend to be scared shitless of you, but what sort of way would that be to go out? Pretending I’m some weak coward when I’m not.” I shrug. “No thanks.”
“So you think I’m going to kill you?” he questions with a trace of a smile.
I lift a shoulder. “I don’t know. Maybe, I guess.”
“And you’re not scared at all?”
“If I was, why would I tell you? It’s what you want, right? And since you’re about to end me, I really don’t want to give you what you want.” Vomit burns the back of my throat.
“You’re nothing like your father,” he states with a grin.
The sudden burst of emotion radiating from him throws me off for a snap of an instant.
“Okay …?” Confusion seeps through my tone. “Is that a good thing?”
“You tell me.” He watches me closely.
“Well, considering you probably don’t like my father very much right now, I’m going to have to go with a yes.”
“And what if I did like your father?” he wonders. “Then what’d be your answer?”
