The moment I saw her, the world vanished. Control dissolved, leaving only the raw, jagged edges of my instinct. The darkness spread through me, clouding even my sight. Her body smashed against the concrete wall with a sickeningthud. “You…you fucking—” A snarl ripped from my throat as my grip tightened.
Cindy was a parasite—one that knew precisely where to nest.
In my brain.
I remembered the way she’d hurt me, had hurt my brother, and even had hurtmy woman.
She’ddaredto lay her disgusting hands on her.
On my Tshabina.
And just like my father, I hoped she would vanish. She—
You once loved her.
I let out a rough snort, my eyes blazing with nothing but intimidation and loathing as I glared down at Cindy. She squirmed beneath me, but I couldn’t release her. Everything bled red. Dark. My lips pressed thin, curling downwards as I cut off her air with a brutal crush of my palm.Fuck.
Yet damn her, the tighter I squeezed, the wider her smile grew. She seemed to relish it, delighting in my fury and touch.
Indeed…we were all fucking crazy.
Her expression bloomed, her eyes alight as though she’d been gifted the very thing she’d long awaited.
I stared at her through the abyss boiling inside me. My surroundings urged me to apply more pressure, to crush the life out of her,to end it here and now.
“You have the audacity totouchher, huh?” I barked. “You dare tohurther?!” Rage exploded in my throat as I pressed harder. Cindy’s laughter spilt into the air until it broke into choking coughs.
I’d never hurt a woman. I’d neverlaidhands on one. But that was the problem.I’d never seen her as a woman, no, I didn’t even see her as ahuman. She had always been ademonto me. Just likemy dad.
My hand burned, numb with the strain of clenching, and my skull was heavy, as if control over my own limbs had been ripped away.
Shaking my head, I fought to breathe, to count, and gather what little of me remained. But again and again, my gaze was dragged back to the woman before me, and that inkiness was smothering me whole.
I tried to steal all the breath she had, forcing her into another coughing fit. With a sharp exhale, I released her throat, shoving her back as she spluttered.
She choked beneath me, gasping. “You’re trying to make a monster out of me, huh?” I rasped. “I avoid you not only because you’re a shameless parasite, a fucking festering disease,” I hissed, just the sight of her made my eyes sting, “but because I want to avoid things exactly like this, Cindy.”
For once, I prayed her ears would drag my words into whatever pitiful excuse for reason she had left, if she even had any.
My voice dropped to a lethal growl as I stared into her eyes. “Because one day, I’ll truly fucking kill you.”
What a loathsome woman.
“Yes, you hold my card and my brother’s, Cindy,” I pressed, my voice low as I locked my eyes with that devil, shimmering with poisoned delight. “But remember this—” I leaned closer. “I hold your bloody card, too. Even worse.” It took everything in me not to ruin those disgusting eyes staring at me. “And if I play it… It won’t only be you who burns. But your whole despicable family, too.”
I shut my eyes, shaking my head, forcing myself to cling to control. When I opened them again, her stare met mine unflinching, her breath quickening.
Good.I’d make it worse for you.
“Remember this: I’ll send you back to hell once my brother’s done with everything he has to resolve. You fucking leech.”
This time, it wasn’t only my glare that sharpened—hers did too as she looked up at me. She trembled.
Her greatest fear lay bare before me.She might be holding my heart, but Ihadhers, and I didn’t intend to hold it. I planned tocrushit until it shattered on its own.
I’d make her live in hell as she made mine.
Her smile slipped, replaced with a scowl. Her glittering eyes shifted to fury, but it only lasted seconds. She pouted beneath me, and that made my stomach turn. “Don’t be like that, babe.” Her eyes gleamed, and I could’ve vomited. “You don’t want to make me angry, do you?”
