Page 124 of Split You Open

The taunt causes the blood in my veins to boil.

I bare my teeth at him, and he has the nerve to smile. This fucking asshole…

My fist makes contact with Ledger’s throat before I even realize I’ve made the conscious decision to attack.

A giggle slips past my lips as Ledger lets go, stumbling back as he coughs and sputters. God, that felt good. Adrenaline pumps through my veins as I step forward.

“I’ll show how much of a coward I’m not, Sparrow,” I spit out as I reach down into my boot to pull the knife from its sheath.

Ledger sucks in a ragged gasp as his eyes narrow on me.

“You had nothing, Blair. I did what had to be done. You’re happy now.”

His comment registers but it takes a moment and when it does, it brings me up short.

He can’t be serious?

“Do I look happy, Ledger?”

I jump him, knife raised. Ledger sees it coming and ducks. I swing the knife back around and it nearly misses cutting through his neck. Ledger jerks back, out of reach of my knife, then freezes. He stares at me with those fucking beautiful green eyes, so wide and wild with insanity.

“This was a way for you to belong to me, Blair. It was the safest way for us to both have what we wanted.”

The incredulous laugh that bubbles up in my throat wobbles but only because I lunge at him. Ledger grabs my outstretched wrist as my knife comes toward his face. He yanks and jerks it up before twisting my arm around me and bringing my body back into his chest. With my body pressed against his, I can feel the long length of him pressed against my lower back.

Oh shit…

When I sunk down onto his cock, it was like experiencing hell and heaven simultaneously.

The stretch.

The burn.

The way we fit so perfectly together despite the cruelty of what he’s done… The memories come rushing back swiftly. Just thinking about it now has my thighs clenching together and my breath catching.

Having Ledger at my mercy had been such a thrill and under any other circumstances I probably never would’ve stopped impaling myself on him. But I knew if I continued in that moment, I would’ve broken down.

He was willing to let me suffer for the rest of my life—never knowing if I would ever be safe or if my dad was alive. Ledger had been deliberately cruel.

I understand why he did it.

I even find a small thrill that he would do this all for me.

But Ledger’s motives don’t blanket the hurt he caused.

His beard tickles against the back of my neck. “Do you really think you can best me? I taught you half the moves you⁠—”

My head smashes into his face, and my elbow lands in his gut.

His body is hard—the elbow does nothing, but that face shot? Ledger snarls as he lets me go, stumbling back. When I whirl around, I leap at him. My body weight sends Ledger staggering back. He slams into the wall with a hard grunt.

I bring my knife up to gut the asshole.

Ledger shoves me away. Off balance, I awkwardly back away. Ledger snarls—the sound deep and foreboding—then he’s lunging for me. I don’t have my feet under me by the time he slams into me and we both go to the floor. My back hits the ground while at the same time my knife skitters away. Instinct has me lifting my knee and I catch Ledger right in the groin. As he recoils with a short howl of pain, I roll away swiftly. During my roll, I snag a hold of my blade’s handle.

Ledger’s not down and out for long. Ledger pounces, attempting to pin me to the floor. We roll, slamming into the island, then roll the other way as the other tries to gain the upper hand.

Ledger might be way bigger than me, but he’s injured and I’m pissed—giving me the upper hand. I almost manage to slam the tip of my knife into his eye before he flips us again.