Page 55 of Always A Villain

His brow furrows. “What?”

Tears threaten again, and I hate myself for it. “The masked man. You can’t be him.”

“Rory—”

“How? You…made me feel…” The sob hits before I can stop it.

His thumb brushes my cheek, a flicker of softness, before it dissolves with frustration. “I know you’re pissed. And I’ll answer every fucking question.” His voice drops lower, harder. “But first. Who. Hit. You?”

I yank my chin from his hand. His touch is too much, too cruel in its familiarity.

“My father,” I mutter, refusing to look at him.

“He hit you?”

I nod.

“Why?”

I scoff, wiping at my face. “Stop pretending like you fucking care! I was just a game to you! You made me want you,needyou, only to throw me away. I mean nothing to you.” Standing, I shove past him.

“That’s not true.”

I shake my head as rage bubbles over. “Stop, Axe. Just…stop.”

“Tell me what the fuck happened.”

“It doesn’t matter! We’re divorced! I saw the papers. Your blood mark was on them.”

“Rory! Tell me why he hit you. NOW!” he explodes.

“Because I’m a worthless fucking whore! But you already knew that.” I inhale sharply, stepping back. “Alicia blackmailed me. She said if I didn’t sign over my mother’s villa, she’d tell my father I was?—”

“Alicia blackmailed you?” His voice turns to ice. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

I let out a hollow laugh. “Before or after you threw me into the basement? Maybe when you told me I was nothing but a hole to fuck?”

His face pales.

“Or should I have mentioned it when you reminded me how I’m just something you own?”

“Rory—”

“No. Don’t even talk to me. Go straight to hell, Axe.”

I turn to leave, but his hands clamp onto my shoulders, forcing me back. I shove against him, but he doesn’t budge.

“Don’t touch me!” I thrash, trying to break free. “I hate you!”

“I know.” His grip tightens.

“You can’t be him. Please, just let me go.”

“Never.”

I squeeze my eyes shut—the weight of his hold, his presence, it’s too much. “Please.”

“You can hate me. You can scream, yell, hit, kick. You can throw everything in my face.”