There’s a sour taste in my mouth. It falls down my throat, spreading through my chest. “What a depressing sentiment.”
Neo gives me a lazy grin. It’s one I’m well familiar with. One that spells trouble. “Why do you care, hm? Trying to figure out the best way to woo me? I’m touched.”
I flush, my walls snapping back up. Damn him for lowering them, even for just a moment. “Of course not.”
Neo evades my gaze suddenly. “Why are you here? Did Cade or Ansel ask you to shake Kyle down?”
The alarm bells from earlier are back, along with the information I learned about Kyle while doing my due diligence. “No. Someone put a request in with The Firm. Should Cade have asked me? I don’t know much about Kyle, but given that impression?—”
“No.” Neo cuts me off. “He’s an asshole, but a harmless one.”
I don’t know why I’m lying to him. Sure, I don’t know everything about his boyfriend. Hell, I didn’t even know he was the one Neo was dating. But I know he’s not good enough for the brat.
“Unless we count abandoning you in an alley with a dangerous masked stranger to save his own ass.”
Neo huffs. “You’re not really a stranger though. Or very dangerous, for that matter, tiny-dick man.”
My monster rattles the cage. He hates that insult most of all because he knows how easy it’d be to disprove.
Just as he knows I’ll never let that happen.
Maybe it’s time to let him see a little of my monster. Maybe it’ll be enough to make him back off.
For good.
I raise a brow as I step closer to Neo. “Oh, I can be very dangerous, Neo. Don’t mistake my polite facade for harmlessness. I know ways to hurt people that most serial killers would find disturbing.”
“You wouldn’t hurt me.” Neo shivers, and I find myself closer still. I’m not even sure when I moved, just that I did.
That I still am. Neo’s back hits the wall in a mockery of how Kyle’s did earlier. My mind is screaming, warning me of danger ahead. But my monster is louder. He wants to play. To play with Neo.
I can’t let him though. If I do, this will quickly spiral out of control. I’ll lose everything.
I need to scare Neo off. To make him run away andstayaway.
So I let a little more of my monster free. “Wanna bet?”
I wait for him to recoil. To realize the danger he’s inviting into his life.
Instead, a slow grin works its way across his lips.
Oh fuck.
What have I done?
2
WYLDER
I bring Neo back home in complete silence. I say nothing the entire drive, and he doesn’t either. It’s a feat of the gods. I can see him wriggling in his seat, wanting to blabber, but for some reason, he’s holding his tongue.
I want to know why he’s quiet.
It reeks of something dangerous.
“Do not even think about it,” I say as soon as we’re at the front door, my eyebrow arching.
He rolls his eyes and shoves in front of me, disappearing before I can blink.
