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“What’s that supposed to mean?”
His pause is too heavy and long.Like his dick.
Oh my god!
Stop thinking about it!
“What did you see tonight?” he finally asks, and there are a dozen replies I could give. They’re all salacious, and he knows it. Anything I say would expose me as much as he’s been exposed, and it feels too intimate. Too vulnerable. I could get so hurt if I tell the truth.
I saw how beautiful you are, and you made me feel something for you.
I shrug. “Meh. I saw a little something.”
“Little?” He raises his brows. “Lie to yourself but not to me. Now you know about me and my brothers. You know about our queens, too. You’ve been listening to my conversations for how long?”
I pick at non-existent lint on the sofa. “Only nine months.”
“Nine? Fucking? Months?”he snarls through clenched teeth, veins popping everywhere. I’m hiding the coronary I’m having as he slowly shakes his head in furious disbelief. “Now you’re a liability, Ms. Jones. You know too much, and I can’t afford the risk.”
“So what? You’re going to make me an offer I can’t refuse?”
Glaring silence.
“Or I’ll wear cement shoes and swim with the fishes?”
Deadly silence. His eyes burn with a glacial stare. His sexy face is stone, and I can’t grab a full breath. Yes, I hate the man. Sort of. But deep down, parts of me trust him, which scares me even more.
Usually, I don’t trust men, and suddenly, with the lethal look in his eyes, this is why.
“Okay, Axel, you’re scaring me.”
He nods. “And … you know my name…”
Hey, Mouth. Shut up.
I know you think he’s hot and all. And he’s smart. And he can’t be entirely immoral; he does really heroic things like help survivors of trafficking. But right now?
Bitch, he’s deciding where to bury your body.
“But I don’t know your last name, so we’re good. We’re cool as cucumbers,” I ramble, “though that’s a really dumb saying because they grow in summer gardens and?—”
“King.”
“Axel King?” I snort. I can’t help it. “That’s your full name? Of course, it is. Even your ego wears a crown.” It dawns on me. “Oh shit, you just told me your full name, so now you have to kill me.”
“Have I killed people? Yes.” He’s way too calm. “Do you make me mad enough to kill you?” Pause for my murder. “Yes, more than any other human being from now and time immemorial. Every goddamn minute of my day, you make me mad enough to murder.”
My breath thins, my mind racing.
How does the Lord’s Prayer start?
I’ve joked with my sister that Axel is a “cold cuntkiller,” so did I manifest this? Does he legit have to kill me now?
“But I’ll never hurt you, Ruby. In fact, I’ll kill anyone who lays a hand on you.” For emphasis, he slowly rubs his hands together.
“Oh shit, you’re not kidding.”
“No, I’m not because … you’re mine now.”