I shouldn’t reply, especially when I was in the enemy’s territory. But it was all instinct at that moment, like I wasteleported to the past, a phone conversation between us about to end.
“Yeah, um, lov–”
But I couldn’t even finish the legendary line as my cell phone was ripped from my ear by fingers that left a scathing scratch on my cheek.
I didn’t even have to turn to look at the person to know who it was. The invisible dark smoke that swirled around his existence already wrapped around me.
And when I eventually turned to acknowledge him, his eyes were glaring daggers into the screen of my phone, his jaws hard, twitching, I feared his teeth might snap.
“Give it back,” I said softly, stretching my hand for the phone.
His gaze shifted from the screen, and without glancing at me, he dropped the phone on the concrete floor.
Everything blurred first.
What?
“What the hell is wrong with you?!” Shock and anger wove tightly into my tone as I fumed.
But there was not a trace of remorse as he walked away like nothing happened. He even made it a point to step on the phone as he went.
How could someone be so tall and handsome but be so ridiculously immature?…And annoying?
Shifting my gaze from his retreating form, I rushed for my phone, something I had been afraid to do, too scared to see the damage.
Evidently, the phone’s screen was all cracked up pretty badly. But when I swiped my finger across the said screen, it still worked. Well, there was a weird colouring like strands of threads at the corner. But it still worked. A screen replacement should fix this.
Still, this damage wasn’t something I bargained for. I didn’t wake up today making plans to spend money on phone repairs. The thought reignited my rage so I trudged after him.
I wanted to do something bad to him. I wanted to make him howl in agony. But compared to his strength, my hit was paper…laughable. He would swat me away like a pesky fly.
“Why would you do that?” I couldn’t believe it. I had come here about to rain fire and brimstone, but every ounce of courage evaporated the moment I reached him.
Why was I so scared of him? Why do I turn to this weak, defenseless thing in front of him?
“You didn’t have the right to do–” I couldn’t even finish my words. Because in a split second, a cold hand wrapped around my throat, thumb pressing against my windpipe.
What was his deal with my throat? Every little thing, his hands were there.
I was weightless, floating like a leaf in a storm as he dragged me across the room.
My back slammed into something hard, the impact rattling through my bones. But even that pain was nothing compared to the look in his eyes. Dark, deadly, a haunting void that trapped me in place.
He said nothing. He didn’t have to. The rapid rise and fall in his chest, the panting breath that ghosted over my skin, the tight sneer that pulled at his lips, said it all. Everything about him breathed violence.
He was going to finally kill me today. Well, I was nineteen. Most people died during birth. I had lived a long life…not exactly the kind I would have wanted, but I had lived, at least.
“S-stop,” I choked out, hands clawing at his grip, gasping as my lungs began to burn, my vision flickering at the edges. Pressure built in my skull, my heartbeat thudding in my ears like a knell.
“P-please.” Dots began to gather around my lenses, but I still summoned every atom of strength in me to beg, pride and arrogance tossed off the window.
Actually, I didn’t want to die. Not today. If I was dying, I must see Kenzo one more time.
“Who is he?” Finally, he demanded in a low growl.
I shook my head in reply, probably not what he was expecting to hear. So his finger flexed around my throat as if giving me a chance, or maybe a warning to remember my life was pulsing beneath the weight of his fingers, and my answer determined if I lived or died.
“Answer me!” he roared, the sound rumbling through me like a strike of thunder, raw and unforgiving.
