4
Langston
As I step closer to Liesel, she retreats—backing away, but not backing down. Her scowl and ridges between her eyes shoot through my body. She doesn’t want me here.
Well, too bad. I don’t want to be here either.
If she hadn’t forced my hand, if she’d at the very least stayed on the island, then I wouldn’t be invading her apartment with her supposed husband in the next room.
I kick the door closed behind me, purposefully slamming it.
“Shh,” Liesel hisses.
I tilt my head. “Why? Worried dear old hubby will notice?”
“Don’t make fun of Waylon.”
“I’m not making fun of him. I just can’t imagine you’re married to that fossil.”
“I am,” she says without hesitation, with as much conviction as she can muster.
“Well, that’s the problem—I don’t believe a word you say.”
She shrugs. “That’s not my problem. Now get out of my house.”
“We had a deal.”
“No, you kidnapped me and forced me to agree to your terms. So unless you’re planning on kidnapping me again, we’re done here.”
Oh, I plan on kidnapping her again if I need to. But I’ll take my time. First, I want answers. Then I can worry about what I’m going to do with her.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re on the island or not. Our deal remains. You will tell me truths, and I’ll give you more time to live. You tell me lies, and I’ll give you less time. You’re down to eleven months. I took off a month after you ran and made me come after you. Now’s your chance to earn some time back.”
Liesel glances down the hallway as she bites her bottom lip. The shower is still running, so we have some time before Waylon joins us.
“Did Siren rat me out?” Liesel asks.
No, she didn’t. But I won’t let Liesel think she has any friends on her side. Liesel needs to know that she’s all alone battling me.
I’ll have to deal with Siren later, though. I can’t have her intervening in my plan. It’s probably time I told Siren the truth. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about whose side she’s on. She would be firmly on mine.
“Of course. You really think you could turn one of my best friends so easily?”
Her eyes narrow, searching for the truth in my eyes. In my words. In my body language.
I don’t let my anger rise beyond my gut. I don’t let my voice carry my pain. I don’t let my eyes widen in worry.
Liesel sighs. “Maybe not, but she freed me. She’s clearly not as close to you as you think.”
I chuckle and step closer to her, forcing her to step back. “You think you’re free?”
“I’m in my own damn house, and as soon as Waylon gets out of the shower, he’ll kick your ass if you don’t leave.”
“Will he?” I take another step, and her back hits the wall.
She glares as she pushes past me and heads into the kitchen. She winces when her injured shoulder brushes against mine.
I stare at her back, wanting to ask about her wound. To take a look at it and make sure it’s healing properly. To remove the staples.
But that would show that I care. It would be a weak move. And I’m tired of being powerless for this woman.
I storm after her, not letting her even catch her breath or grab a knife, which I assume is the only reason she’s heading into the kitchen.
I cock my head and smirk at her as she pulls a knife out of a cutting block. “Really? You think a knife is going to protect you? You’re so predictable.”
“No, a knife won’t protect me against a monster like you. You don’t play fair. And you’re more skilled at killing people than anyone I’ve ever met. If you want me dead, you’ll kill me.”
“Then why even bother grabbing it? Why fight me? Why not just tell me the truth? You’ll live a longer, much happier life if you just give in,” I say, standing on one side of the kitchen island. She stands on the other side, using the island as a barrier between us.
“You don’t deserve the truth, killer. You don’t get any more parts of me.”
“But I haven’t even gotten to taste the best part yet.” My voice is low and throaty as I speak.
I swear I hear Liesel gasp.
We may both be married, but that doesn’t extinguish the fire between us. That doesn’t stop the pull of attraction. No matter how much Liesel hurts me, no matter how much she betrays me, on some level, my body will always want her. I just have to remember she’s poison to me. One taste and she’ll eviscerate me.
“You stole a kiss against my will—you don’t get more. I’ll cut off your balls if you so much as touch me without permission.”
There’s my feisty huntress.
I laugh. “I don’t have to take anything—before I’m done with you, you’ll be willingly giving in to me. You’ll be begging me to kiss you, to fuck you.”
“I have a wonderful husband just down the hall who is more than capable of satisfying my every need. He kisses like a king and makes me come like a servant. Why would I need a schmuck like you? You wouldn’t even be able to find my clit.”
Her words are firm and defiant, but I notice her chest heaving up and down. She’s all hot and bothered inside. I remember the explosive orgasms she had with Waylon. I remember the sounds she made, the faces. How much of that was real and how much of that was fake?
“Now you make me wonder if Waylon is the one who doesn’t know where your clit is.”
“Just like Phoenix doesn’t know how to suck you off, huh?”
Her eyes glitter with jealousy. She doesn’t like that I’m married to Phoenix any more than I like her marriage to Waylon. Not because I want to be married to her, but because she’s mine. She doesn’t get to belong to anyone else.
“I’d be happy to let you try if you think you can do better. But let me tell you, no one sucks me off like Phoenix.”
Her grip on the thin knife tightens, along with the lines around her eyes and harsh frown of her lips.
“Just leave; neither of us is going to tell the truth. We aren’t going to say that we lied and that we aren’t married. That you don’t have any freaking kids. Just go. We don’t have to keep hurting each other.”
I take a step toward her, expecting her step away from me, keeping the island between us.
She doesn’t.
“You really think you’re going to stab me if I get near?”
“You’ll have to come closer to find out.” She smirks and twists the knife around casually in her hand like it belongs there.
She forgets that I know the real her. She doesn’t like wielding a weapon. The only time she holds a knife is when she’s cutting into her food. She wouldn’t even be able to flick her wrist in my direction before my reflexes would stop her without even thinking.
I take another step.
She still doesn’t move.
My heart beats wildly in my chest, wanting to be near her, even though the only part of me that Liesel could actually damage is my heart. She has no idea the amount of torture she’s caused me. She thinks I’m the devil. I am, but I have nothing on her.