The plastic zip ties cut into my skin, but that didn’t bother me. I’d escaped plenty of places with my hands tied.
“You’re going to listen to me,” he said.
My heart started racing. “No!” I shoved my hips up.
All that did was allow him to settle his body more fully into mine. I felt every hard inch of him.
My own traitorous body went haywire. Heat curled inside me and my skin flushed.
Damn. I tried to tell myself it was a normal reaction. Bastian was a very attractive man. It was biology. It didn’t mean anything.
God, I was such a liar.
“Lark.” Strong fingers caught my jaw. I tried to look away but he forced me to meet his gaze.
I fought the urge to bite my lip. I noted the jagged scratches I’d left on his face, and dammit, a part of me felt bad about them.His eyes were so dark, like chips of obsidian. But they weren’t cold, and I thought they were beautiful. Right now, they were filled with emotions I couldn’t untangle.
But I definitely discerned concern and sadness.
For me.
No. I didn’t need anyone’s care or concern, or pity. I dealt with everything myself. I didn’t depend on anyone. That was how I liked it.
I’d never even let Ed all the way in.
“Let me go.”
“No.” Bastian released a sigh. “I need to explain about Ed. I should’ve done it a long time ago.”
“Bastian…” I hated that my voice was a little wobbly, little more than a murmur.
“It’s time, Lark.”
“No,” I whispered.
“Yes.” His dark gaze bored into mine. “He was killing people. Not like us. Not sanctioned contract hits.” A sad look crossed his face. “They weren’t even unsanctioned kills of bad guys. He was killing for fun.”
Anger surged inside me, burning, scalding. “No.” I bucked again.
He held me down. “You must have seen the signs.”
I twisted violently. Images of Ed flickered through my mind. The man who’d pulled a terrified little girl from a closet. He’d looked like a normal guy, a favorite uncle—fit, brown hair, friendly face that had gotten a little more grizzled as he’d aged. He was the man who’d given me my own room, who’d trained me to protect myself, who’d helped me with my homework.
The man who’d kept me safe.
I tried to break free of Bastian’s hold, but he was too strong.
“He picked victims, stalked them, then killed them in their homes.” Bastian’s voice was devoid of emotion.
A low, animal sound echoed through the room.
I realized it came from me. I didn’t want to hear this.
“Lies. You’re trying to make up an excuse for killing him.”
“I’d never lie to you. I remember that I promised you that when we first met. When you were ten.”
He had. I remembered being dazzled by the handsome nineteen-year-old. He’d been kind to me, and it had broken through the shock of those early days.
