Page 18 of Angelic Vengeance

I didn’t respond. I didn’t move or walk away from him either. It was almost as if something was holding me in place, not allowing me to leave–

Without warning, he dipped his head to my neck and inhaled softly. He didn’t actually touch me, but I swear I felthimseep through my skin and sink deep inside. When aviolent shiver rolled through me, he pulled back, a corner of his mouth slightly tipped up.

My lips parted again and my eyes narrowed. Fire ran through my veins as I watched him with so much anger I didn’t know how to react. Never in my life had I met somebody more arrogant orfucking persistentthan him. I rejected him every chance I got, but that only seemed to fuel him more.

“You can’t just do that,” I spoke through gritted teeth. I wasthisclose to throwing a fist at his pretty face.

He brushed an absent hand over his absurdly expensive watch. He frowned again, in that infuriatingly charming way. “Why not?”

I scoffed in disbelief.

Was I just some type of challenge to him? Was he only pursuing me to prove a point to himself – that he could have any girl he wanted? The most repulsing, annoying part of this whole thing was that he probably could.

“You’re so full of yourself, it’s insane.”

“You could be full of me too if you’re a good girl and ask nicely.” He finished by brushing a strand of hair from my face.

I tsked at him and smacked his hand away.The audacity of this man.

“Touch me again and I’ll–”

“Yes?” He interrupted me, lowering his head to my level, pretending to try to hear me better.

I groaned in exasperation and pushed his chest away from me.

He didn’t budge. And he was too close.

I looked back at his face.That stupid fucking smirk–

And then it clicked. He wastryingto get under my skin.

And my dumbass waslettinghim.

What was wrong with me? I hadn’t shown this much emotion in literal years.

Don’t ever let them see the real you.

The familiar voice of my childhood crept from the shadows and whispered in my ear, putting out the fire inside me and turning it back to ice.

They don’t deserve to know you.

I lowered my eyes, took a deep breath, and neutralized my facial expression. He wasn’t going to make me react again. Ever.

I knew he sensed the change in my mood because when I looked back up, his smirk was gone. He was frowning again, but not like he had earlier. This time he was analyzing me, almost as if he was trying to understand me.

He would never be able to.

A moment later he stepped back, taking his warmth with him and leaving me feeling cold and confused – wondering why I felt like I’d just lost something.

He turned his body to the side so I could walk away.

I did.

Even a week later, it was still bothering me.

The acknowledgment that Zachary had indeed gotten an emotional reaction out of me was frustrating, to say the least.

I never showed emotion. Not even when I’d had to stare death in the face. But for some unknown reason to me, I lost control whenever he was involved.