Page 58 of Vicious Kingdom

My heart plummeted, crashing with the weight of disbelief and an icy fear I hadn’t prepared for.

His mask dropped, and there was nothing left but contempt to fill the space between us. Instead of the hunger I so desperately wanted to see in his dark eyes, there was nothing but wrath, dangerous and caustic.

He squeezed harder, and I clawed at his hands, both of us tipping sideways.

I couldn’t believe that only moments ago I had dared to let myself hope.

Was this his plan all along? He’d teased me with such a beautiful gesture, lulled my mind into dreaming up idyllic thoughts, only to crush me.

My mind raced ahead, thoughts clashing and colliding as the truth sank in, as if I could solve the puzzle of his cruel counter move before the darkness overtook me.

I wanted to scream, but there was no air. I pushed against his body. I tried to wriggle free!

He pinned me beneath him. Effortlessly. Easily. His weight was enough to crush me.

Was he right? Maybe I was insane for thinking we had a chance to heal. Was his claim that it was over the only thing that had been true? I couldn’t believe it. I wouldn’t!

He gave the smallest, mocking smile.

For an awful moment, I thought he would let it end like this, my hopes bleeding out on the sand, my vision going black. I shut my eyes, expecting to lose everything.

And then, I relaxed—a display of submission. If he wanted to feel in charge, then so be it.

Then, with a noise of disgust, he released me with a shove.

I fell, gasping, hands flying to my neck. “What the hell?!”

Baldwin towered over me with a hard, savage look, watching as I choked on the air he gave back to me as if it were a favor.

“I would never stoop to be with such a pathetic, sad little socialite,” he growled. “And that’s all you’ll ever be.”

“Why are you being so cruel?” I gasped. “I never meant to hurt you!”

“To be hurt, I would have to care,” he growled.

His words said one thing. The look in his eye said another. He did care—cared too much.

“Can’t we just start over?” I pleaded. “We never got the chance to talk.”

“There’s nothing to say.” With that, he gave me a final shove and shot to his feet.

I rolled forward, my hands barely catching me as I struggled to brace myself on all fours. “There’s a lot to be said, if you would just listen to me!”

“We’re done, Annaliese.”

No, we’re not!“Do you want me to apologize for not telling you who I was? Because I am! I am so sorry I used a fake name. But it was real, Baldwin. Everything I said, everything we did—”

“No.” Leonard rose, wiping his hands on his pants. “Nothing was real.”

“You have to believe me,” I insisted. “I never meant to hurt you.”

But I had. I wounded him deeply.

“Enjoy your picnic and stay the hell away from me.” With that parting shot, he walked away. Moments later, his tires squealed as he pulled from the parking lot.

Stupid. Stupid me!

I thought I had him. I thought I played everything so well. But I hadn’t accounted for him being quite this angry.