“I’m still breathing so I guess you’re right,” I mutter dejectedly.
Xaden moves toward me with calculated steps, the closer he gets to me the shallower my breaths turn. I’m equal parts attracted to him and lust after him daily, but there is still a part of him that I fear. He stands at the edge of the bed, staring down at me. I loathe the darkness because I can’t see his eyes. In rare moments when he is inside of me, I can see everything he feels in those gray eyes, but when we’re not having sex all I see is anger and hatred.
“Want me to kill him?” His question is asked so bashfully I can’t help but laugh. I see a ghost of a smile touch the corner of his mouth. My laughter dies off and I realize with a hundred percent certainty that he isn’t kidding.
“You once told me to not believe the rumors about your family because they were bullshit. You said you were much worse.” When he pushes his hood back, and I see the resolve in his eyes, I know within my gut that if I said yes, he would slay Meekan. “I think I believe you now,” I say quietly.
Xaden says nothing, just stands there and stares down at me until I begin to squirm from the pressure of it.
“Fairies die all the time,” he says after a long moment.
“You’ve told me that.”
“Only I get to end you, Tink. Your pain and misery belong to me.” The conviction of his words stuns me. I can tell he means what he says.
“Well, if my pain belongs to you, then you can take it away now… please.” My attempt at humor falls flat. I release a tired sigh and scoot to the edge of the bed where he stands. I swing my legs over the edge and push to my feet. I cringe in pain, which just makes Xaden growl. He grips my arm and drags me across the room. I slam my eyes shut when he flicks on the light in thebathroom. When I blink them open, I come face to face with my reflection in the mirror.
My jaw hits the floor at the sight of the bruise on my face—my eye is turning black and I know come morning I will have a full blown black eye. I reach up, hissing in pain when I press my fingers against my cheek. Xaden smacks my hand away.
“Don’t fucking touch it,” he barks. “I want your ass to get in the shower, then get the fuck to bed.” I attempt to lift a brow but wince. Xaden shakes his head, then stalks out, slamming the door closed behind himself. I don’t understand why he is so angry, it’s not his face that looks like it got mutilated by a fist.
Harper.
Where is she? Why the fuck was she talking to Meek about me? Questions burn through my mind as I wrap my hair in a messy bun atop my head and strip down, then climb into Xaden’s shower. I don’t wash my face, too frightened of the pain, but I wash myself quickly, then step out to dry off. I realize then I have no clean clothes in here, so I wrap the towel around my body and step out of the bathroom. Xaden stands at the foot of his bed with his hands stuffed into his pockets. His gaze roves over me, then finally settles on my face, fury clouding his features.
“I’m okay.”
He scoffs. “Doesn’t matter to me if you weren’t.” His brisk words hurt but I don’t let it show.
“I’m gonna head to bed,” I say in a monotone.
“You don’t call the fucking shots, Tink, I do.”
I throw my hands in the air. “What the fuck do you want from me, Xaden?” I snap. His mood swings give me whiplash, one minute he’s nice then in the next second he flips a switch and he’s back to being the asshole everyone knows and hates.
“I want to peel the fucking flesh from your bones. I want to hold your heart in my hand as it beats for the last time. I want totear your fucking eyes out with a spoon and look through them so I can look out at the world with rose colored glasses like you.” The blood drains from my face, a pit of fear twists in my gut. “I want to slice those lips from your face and frame them above my bed so every motherfucker will know that I was the one who took down the prized princess of theKellar Cartel.”
My heart stops beating. Every thought whirling around my head evaporates, my breath hitches as I stand here and repeat those words over and over again.
Kellar Cartel.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
TOREN
I’m swaying on my feet. I try to remain in place but stumble backward until I hit the wall. I clutch the front of the towel as my knees begin to tremble and I slide to the floor. I have a hundred thoughts whirling inside my head, but at the same time I can’t focus on any of them except for one.
I lift my head and stare up at Xaden. If the devil favored one person it would be him, he’s a monster, a nightmare dressed in a beautiful package. He looks like all your fantasies and dreams rolled into one. He’s the worst type of killer. He can lull you into thinking you’re safe and protected, everything about him invites you in but the truth is, it’s all lies.
Xaden isn’t a knight in shining armor. He’s the guy they send to guard the tower you’re locked in and destroy any knight that attempts to save you.
“Cartel?” I squeak out. Xaden’s brows raise as if my question surprised him. He clears his face of all emotion instantly and stares back at me with a hard look.
“You have no fucking idea what world you live in. No one is who you think they are and that’s what makes this so enjoyable.”
He didn’t deny it.
I feel like I’m being held under water, everything feels so heavy and is pressing down on me. Is my family the bad guy here? Is that why Xaden hates me so much because he thinks my dad is part of some gang? I think about my father. He’s a senator. He may not have been the best at raising us but he is a good man.
