“How so?” Law asks, tone almost bored, as if he truly doesn’t care.
But this is more than I’ve gotten out of him in a long time.
“You’ve changed. I hardly recognize you anymore,” I breathe. “You bought me, offered me safety, and when Ifinally felt it, it seems like you want to rip it away from me all over again.”
Law leans down, hands landing on either side of the counter behind me, boxing me in, and the sudden closeness makes my body coil, muscles taut.
“I never changed,” he says, the words drenched with dark satisfaction. “You were just too stupid to see it. I’ve always been this—the one who bought you and built you, just to let you fool yourself into thinking I could be anything else.”
I shake my head, bottom lip trembling.
“I don’t believe you.”
“Cause you’re fucking pathetic, Blaire.” He bites, harsh and vicious.
The insult pierces into me, and I feel my heart splintering under the weight of it.
But I still hold firm, my eyes searching his frantically, watching as those pale blue irises darken into something blacker at the edges.
“I still don’t believe you,” I whisper, a single tear slipping down my cheek. “I fucking knew you.”
My hand trembles as I reach up toward his face, fingers almost brushing the hard line of his jaw.
“I felt you…” My voice breaks, painfilled and lost. “With every shattered, bleeding part of me. You were good.”
He suddenly snatches my wrist, just as my fingers sweep his cheek, and it startles me.
“You couldn’t be more wrong,” he growls, bringing his face closer to mine. “And this is exactly why you ended up in that rape market to begin with. You were always desperate to see light in something that was never anything but darkness.”
My wet lashes flutter as I try to hold back more tears, but they continue to drop.
“You’re wrong,” I say through gritted teeth, my tone barely holding together.
“Am I?” Law tilts his head, that sickeningly calm expression never wavering as his eyes drag slowly down to the fresh bruises blooming across my throat. “Look at yourself, Blaire. Does it look like I’m wrong?”
“Why are you doing this?” A sob claws its way out before I can stop it. “I thought you loved me. I thought you cared…”
“Because I can,” he cuts me off coldly, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Because it’s almost too easy with you.”
“Then let me go!” I snap, anger breaking through the hurt. “If you don’t want me, if you don’t love me, just let me leave! You always said I could walk away freely anytime I wanted!”
His cold eyes serach my face, unblinking, then the corner of his mouth twitches.
“Oh… so now you want someone different?” he shoots back. “After everything I’ve done for you?”
“What? No…” The words tangle in my throat. “That’s not what I said. I just…”
Law interrupts with a soft, mocking laugh that slices deeper than any shout, and he shakes his head, like he’s watching a child throw a tantrum.
“What’s so funny?” I ask, confused and wide-eyed.
“Blaire. Blaire, Blaire, Blaire…” He clicks his tongue, his expression falling serious again. “When are you going to get it through that thick, delusional skull of yours that I never fucking loved you?”
The floor drops out from under me, my lungs seizing.
“I think you’re weak and pitiful,” he continues, each word said to wound me. “A revolting, needy slut who threw herself at me over and over again. I was never attracted to you, not once. You actually disgust me. Your voice, your touch, the way you looked at me like some lovesick puppy. You’ve always made my fucking skin crawl.”
He steps closer, eyes gleaming as he watches his cruelty land.
