Chapter Twenty-Five

I’ve been in my room all day. It’s a better alternative than sitting out there watching my brother touch my angel. We agreed to let the better man win, but I only agreed because I know that I’m the better man for her. Clearly, she needs some convincing, though.

A heavy knock comes from my door, and I plunge my knife into the wall just beside it before Dominic pushes inside. He glances at the knife and at me before he rolls his eyes, almost like he’s desensitized to me, before he speaks.

“I have to go. Jarod called. Someone tried to hack into the block’s surveillance cameras.”

I turn my head to the side at that.

“You think?—”

“Yes,” he finishes.

Shaking my head at that, I thumb the next knife beside me, running my fingers over the sharp edge of it, watching in fascination as that red line appears in its wake.

“We’re going to have to jump in front of this problem before it gets worse,” I mutter.

“No. Absolutely not. We are never going to let him anywhere near her, he’s not allowed to know she even exists. Stick to the plan. Keep her inside, do not let her leave for anything. I’m still working on something. I dug up a job he did for the Mariano family over in New York. Looks like he didn’t finish the job fully, and they’re looking for him. Maybe that could work to our advantage?”

My head whips up at that.

“You think the way out of this mess, all of us alive, is to sic the mob on him? If he’s evaded them for this long, what makes you think he can’t continue to do so, this time killing everyone in this apartment in retribution?” I scoff.

Dominic clenches his jaw as he shakes his head and turns to leave.

“It’s the best choice we have. We’re sticking with the plan.”

His back faces me, and he takes one step out the door as I call out to him.

“Feel good to be all patched up with her?”

He freezes mid-step as I go on.

“Nothing a good fuck on the kitchen island can’t fix, am I right?”

“About the same as a fuck against our family grave gate.”

His words make me smirk. I’m still shocked that I didn’t know he was there that night. Then again, he learned from the best, just like I did. Also to his advantage, when I’m with my angel, my awareness dulls, my attention completely snapped up by her. She consumes every ounce of me just the way I like it, though I’ll admit, if I’m going to keep her safe from Maxim, I need to be better. Allow my obsession to fill me within these four walls, as above all else, her safety is first priority.

Without another word, Dominic leaves, and a few minutes later, the front door opens and shuts. The blood on my hand has dried, and I move to the en suite bathroom in my room to clean it up before I make my way into the living room. When I do, I find my angel curled up in a ball on the couch, reading a book. I recognize the author’s name. Must be a favorite of hers.

Her eyes leave the page for only a moment before she’s fixating back on her story. I can’t deny that irritation flits through me at her disinterest in me. Last night was too perfect for her to act like it never happened. That was supposed to be all it took to confirm for her that we were destined to be together. The way her body responded to me, even when I showed my proclivities. The way she wanted more. She’s perfect, we’re perfect. She’ll see it soon enough.

I make quick work of a bacon and cheese omelet with some toast for her. It’s about dinnertime, but she really likes having breakfast for dinner. Though she’s pretty terrible at making omelets. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched her attempt them, only to get frustrated and turn it into a scramble. So many times I wanted to come out of her closet to help her, and now I can.

When I’m finished, I plate it and carry it over to the coffee table along with one of those flavored sparkling waters that she loves. I set it down in front of her, causing her to lower her book and inspect it. She frowns before looking up at me.

“What’s this for?”

“To eat,” I say flatly.

Her eyes squint at that. “You made me food?”

I nod as I move to take the seat directly across from the couch, leaning back as I gesture toward her.

“Enjoy your book, eat. Pretend I’m not here,” I say as my eyes greedily take in the sight of her beauty before me.

She scoffs at that as she sets her book down.

“Kinda hard to do when you’re just staring at me.”

“That never bothered you before,” I counter.

Irritation passes across her face.

“That’s because I didn’t know you were there, creep.”

A low chuckle escapes me as I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees as I look at her.

“We both know that’s not true. Sometimes I’d make a noise here and there just to make you aware. Your fight-or-flight instincts are terrible, by the way. Hiding under your blankets when you hear a thunk at night won’t keep you alive, angel. Not by a long shot.”

“Fuck you!” she spits out before taking the plate of food and throwing it at me. I dodge it easily as it shatters apart against the wall behind me, egg and crumbs half stuck to the wall with glass shards everywhere.

“You don’t know me, Zayden. Just because you stalked me doesn’t mean you know me. I don’t really give a fuck what you think of my fight-or-flight skills. They’ve gotten me this far, right? I’m still breathing, I’m still fighting. So why don’t you do me a favor and go fuck yourself?”

Her breathing is labored, eyes filled with a rage that surprisingly starts to dim. I just sit there in the chair, watching her patiently until she appears to be calm enough.

“Would you like me to remake you the omelet?” I ask.

She turns her head to the side as she looks at me.

“What the fuck? No. Fuck your food. I don’t want anything you have to offer me.”

I frown at that.

“You, me, and the cemetery know that’s not true, angel.”

She tosses her hands out by her sides and lets out a hollow laugh.

“The cemetery? Where I was literally running for my life? Where you tackled me to the ground, pulled my pants down, and cut my skin before you fucked me against my will?”

I’m across the room in a flash, my hand wrapped firmly around her throat as I pin her to the back of the couch. Her eyes are wide and afraid, but she makes no attempt to fight back.

C’mon, angel. Fight. Please.

“Don’t delude yourself. You and I both know that from the moment I took you to the ground, you wanted it. Your pussy was practically sopping when I got to you, and this,” I say as I pull out my knife, conveniently the same one from last night. I slowly drag it against her skin, so featherlight it won’t leave a mark, unfortunately.

Her pulse thunders to the point I can see it jumping out of her skin, goosebumps pricking against her skin as her pupils dilate. A look of something akin to want flashes in her eyes, lust even. Exactly.

“This,” I continue. “I think you enjoyed more than you expected. The chill from the metal made your heart race and fear tighten its hold on you, and I think you liked the rush. The first slice is always the hardest. It’s sharp and stings, but the sting blends with the fear, and soon, it’s an addicting concoction you don’t know if you should refrain from or overdose on.”

That lust-drenched look has now taken up residence in her entrancing eyes. I’ll never be able to decide which one I like more, it’s impossible. I love the pair. Blue and brown together, two sides of the same coin, making up my beautiful woman.

“Do you want to feel alive, angel?” I whisper into her ear, allowing the blade to run along her collarbone and dipping beneath her T-shirt between her breasts. Her breath forces a soft gasp to escape her as she practically shudders in my arms.

The knife continues its descent, stopping on her bra. I don’t plan on stopping there though, I need better visibility. I turn the knife in my palm, forcing the tip of the blade in my direction and cutting a line straight through her shirt. A few more inches, and the material practically falls to her sides. I slip the knife beneath the front clasp of her bra, ready to free her breasts when she breathes.

“Please don’t cut another one.”

I nod softly. “As you wish,” I say against her ear, sending another round of goosebumps sparking against her skin before I lower my mouth between her breasts, freeing the clasp with my teeth and allowing her breasts to spill out completely for my eyes to see. The dusty pink of her nipples causes cum to leak from my tip.

The point of my blade turns back to her skin, tracing lazy lines down her torso before coming to her leggings. This time I don’t wait for her to argue with me as I turn the blade once again and hook the fabric, tearing it and her panties easily in half until she’s left completely bare for me. Fucking hell.

I drag the cool steel against her bald pussy, enjoying the quiver that comes from her legs when I pause just at her slit. Fear and adrenaline seem to course through her as I turn the knife in my hand and push the handle between her thighs. She doesn’t fight me, but she doesn’t open up for me either. It’s no problem for me, though. I know she wants this, even if she can’t admit it. I’ll do it for both of us.

The handle of the knife slips inside her easily, almost too easily. Just as I knew she would be, her pussy is soaked, and she lets out a shuddering breath that slips into a moan before she can help it. I continue plunging it in and out of her, fucking her with one of my favorite knives as I speak.

“That feel good, angel?”

Her eyes are clenched tight, her hands gripping the couch as she stays silent. She’s fighting me so hard right now, it’ll make her release all the sweeter.

“Eyes on me. Now,” I say in a harsh voice that has her eyes flying open.

She looks conflicted and pleasure-drunk. Like she doesn’t know which way is up or what to do next. I release my hold on her throat, shifting my stance and dropping to my knees in front of her. Her legs are still not spread, but they’ve parted slightly to make room for her new toy.

I pull it out of her, a thrill of pleasure running through me when she lets out a needy little whimper at the loss of it. Smirking to myself, I hold her eyes with mine as I raise it up to my mouth and suck on it, licking her juices clean off the handle. I can’t help but groan as the taste, that is so undeniably hers, spreads across my tongue. I want nothing more than to bury my face in her cunt and eat her until the sun comes up, but she has to beg me. No claiming she didn’t want it, that she didn’t have a choice. She’s going to beg for me to eat and fuck her pussy, and then I’ll happily do so until the end of time.

“Do you want it? You want it back in you?” I ask, smirking when I look down and see that my hand is bleeding from where I was holding the blade.

“Look what you do to me,” I say as I hold my hand up for her to see. “Look what your pleasure costs me, angel.”

“I-I’m sorry,” she says shakily.

“Shh, don’t be,” I say as I run my hand up and down her thigh soothingly, pride sparking inside my chest when I see my blood smeared across her perfect porcelain skin. “Give me your words, baby. Tell me you want me, that you’re begging for me, and I’ll give you that little push over the edge I know you’re desperate for,” I say as I take the blade in my hand once more, pushing the handle of the knife just to her opening, only a half-ounce of pressure more, and it would be inside her again. The way she’s arching her back and wiggling her hips tells me she wants it too, badly.

To my irritation, though, she doesn’t speak. I wiggle the blade side to side, teasing her more as her eyes roll into the back of her head and a small leak of wetness coats the handle. Her pussy is practically crying out in agony, desperate for any kind of attention.

“C’mon, angel. Let me hear your pretty little lips beg for me,” I say again, hoping she’ll finally comply.

Her eyes come to me, her hips still wiggling as they seek relief when she speaks.

“I’m with Dom. I only want Dom.”

Fury blinds me as I rip the knife away and bury it in the couch beside her. I stand up without another word, grabbing my keys off the table and leaving the apartment. The door shuts with a bang so hard it shakes the entire wall. My feet move quickly from the elevator down to my bike. It’s barely even started before I’m racing through the night as anger, bitterness, and a little bit of hurt all boil underneath my skin.

The buzzing of my phone vibrates in my pocket, but I ignore it because honestly, it’s only going to be two people, Dominic or Maxim, and I don’t want to speak to either of them. So instead, I focus on the road in front of me, driving as fast as I can in an attempt to outrun the overwhelming urge to kill my brother and my angel before taking my own life. I’m nothing without her, and if she won’t have me, she won’t have anyone.