Page 285 of Coal Hearts

“His wife seemed to think so. She welcomed me with open arms. Pity he didn’t.”

Victor snickered. “You know he’ll stop at nothing to kill you now, right? Seems as though you’re trapped between two enemies.”

“But maybe one day we can be friends.” Henri chuckled. “Now that this nasty business is behind us.”

“I guess time will tell.” Victor pointed a finger in Henri’s face. “But no more pussyfooting around. You want me to trust you? Then trust your-fucking-self. No more thinking you can be both monster and saint.”

“Way ahead of you. Last night was my awakening.”

“Good boy.” Victor’s lips curled into a savage smile. “You won’t have any objection to taking your sweet, far-too-trusting jewel into the snuffbox, then?”

“Not at all.” Slowly, Henri turned on the spot. “I’m looking forward to it. Whatever it is.”

His eyes sought me out, searching for me in the guests and jewels, flaring as he found me alone, marooned on the grass.

Unlike before when he’d looked at me, no flash of togetherness forked between us. No secretive alliance bound us. No forbidden emotions webbed the longer we played our dangerous game.

He looked at me as if he finally accepted I belonged to him and was impatient to begin a very different story.

Stalking down the deck steps toward me, he cupped my elbows and helped me stand.

My skin recoiled.

My stomach revolted.

It took every effort not to spit in his face and run.

Running his thumbs softly over my skin, he dropped his stare to the red smudges still dirtying me from last night. “Watching those men touch you made me fucking rage, but seeing my fingerprints marking you in blood makes me so goddamn hard. You’re mine now. You’re truly, officially—”

“Get off me.” I squirmed to get away. “You’re a damn liar. You lied to me. You lied to me every time you opened your lying mouth!”

His fingers tightened into ice picks. “And now, I’m telling you the truth.”

“I hate you.” I struggled and jerked. “You’ll pay for—”

“I’ve been paying my entire life, little nightmare. It’s time someone else paid for a change.”

“And you’ve decided that I’m the one who has to pay?”

“I didn’t decide.” He shrugged. “Fate decided the moment we noticed each other at the bar.”

“Screw you.” I balled my hands, renewing my efforts to get free. “Do you honestly think you’ll get away with this?”

“I seem to be so far, yes.”

My heart cracked all over again.

Eyes prickled my skin from everyone watching. Jewels, Masters...every single person judging me for being so stupidly naïve.

There was no such thing as goodness in him...only evil.

I went limp in his hold. “Was any of it real?”

His fingers gentled on my elbows. “Most of it was. Especially the part where I told you not to fight me.” His eyes softened with sick gratitude. “Last night was the best night of my life, by the way. I want to thank you—”

“Fuck. You.” Temper turned my limpness back into struggles.

“Keep fighting me, Ily.” He smiled. “You saw what happens when you do, and I’m fairly certain I’m getting addicted to you. So...keep fighting. I beg you.”