Page 139 of Villainous Rise

Stupid. So fucking stupid.

When I turned back to him, Cipher’s eyes glittered with a cold light I’d never seen directed at me before.

“What happens when it’s time for the fake wedding, Annie?” His voice dropped to a whisper. “Will you walk down the aisle in white? Stand at the altar with him while I watch from the shadows?”

“That won’t happen!”

“Won’t it?” He laughed, the sound sharp. “You think they’ll just let this narrative die? They’ll milk it for every drop of publicity they can get.”

I shook my head, desperate to deny the truth in his words. “I’ll find a way out before then.”

“How?” He grabbed my wrist, not hard enough to hurt but firm enough that I couldn’t pull away. “By following more rules? By asking permission?”

“I don’t know!”

“Let me paint you a picture.” His thumb traced slow circles on my pulse point in a mockery of tenderness. “You in a white dress. Him waiting at the end of the aisle. The cameras flashing. Everyone watching the Hero get his happy ending.”

I tried to pull away, but his grip tightened.

“And where will I be, Annie? Watching from the back? Or maybe they’ll invite me as the Villain of the piece—the perfect dramatic tension for their little show.”

“Stop it,” I whispered.

“Will you fuck him on your wedding night?” The crude question landed like a slap. “Or will you sneak away to me, still wearing his ring, so I can bend you over and remind you who you really belong to?”

Heat flooded my face—shame and anger.

“You want me to be the Villain you fuck in the dark while playing perfect Keeper in the light.”

“That’s not true!”

“Then what do you want?” He released my wrist suddenly, making me stumble back. “Tell me what you want me to do when they announce your engagement party. When they release the wedding date. When they publish the photos of you in your dress.”

“I want—” My voice cracked. “I want you to trust me.”

“Trust?” His laugh was bitter. “You’re standing there telling me you’re going to play happy couple with another man, and you want my trust?”

“I’m trying to navigate an impossible situation!”

“No, you’re trying to have it both ways.” He stepped back, creating distance between us that felt wider than the physical space. “You want to keep your perfect reputation and still have me fuck you raw when no one’s looking.”

“What do you want from me?” I asked, my voice barely audible.

His eyes locked with mine, hard and unforgiving. “I want you to choose, Annie. Really choose. Not this half-in, half-out bullshit where you come to me with your legs spread but run back to them when they call.”

The words hit their mark, leaving me bleeding inside.

“What happened to ‘I’ll be whoever you need me to be’?” I demanded, my voice rising with each word. “Was that all bullshit?”

“I’m fucking giving you everything!” Cipher shouted, slamming his fist against the workbench. Metal screeched as the table caved in. “Everything! And what are you giving me in return? Fucking nothing!”

“Nothing?” I spat back. “I’ve given you everything I can! I’ve risked my career, my reputation⁠—”

“When it’s convenient for you! When it doesn’t cost you anything!”

“You told me you didn’t want anything from me,” I reminded him, my voice shaking. “You said you’d take whatever I could give. Was that just another lie? Another manipulation?”

Something flashed in his eyes, a raw, unguarded pain that cut through his anger for just a moment before the fury returned, hotter than before.