Page 35 of Cruel Possession

Blood pools around the hilt of the blade.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” He glares at me, his hand raising to the wound as I rip the knife out.

“What’s wrong with me is that I’m tired of your shit.” I fold the knife and toss it to the side before hauling back.

I slam my fist into Royce’s face, blood pooling as his nose crunches, his lip splitting, blood rolling down his chin and dripping onto his shirt.

I grab him and shove him hard against the bookshelves again when he tries to slump over.

He groans and rears back before ramming my head with his.

I see stars, but I shake them out, keeping my hold on him and punching him again.

His head bounces off the shelves.

“Fucking hell, Aiden.” He tries to shove me off him.

I throw him to the ground, kicking him hard in the ribs, the toe of my boot catching him hard.

Hissing, he curls in around himself as I stand up straight and wipe the blood from my knuckles.

“Is that the kind of follow-through you wanted? The next time you want to question my authority, remember who the fuck I am.”

Spinning, I stride out of the office and straight to the stairs that lead to the basement.

With two escape attempts under her belt and members of my family turning against me, it’s clear that keeping Zoe sequestered downstairs isn’t going to work. They’re going to keep trying to free her.

I turn and head down the second set of stairs, scanning my retina and waiting for the door to slide out of the way.

The guards stationed there say nothing about the blood on my clothing or currently clotting on my knuckles.

As I stop in front of Zoe’s door, I dig into my pocket for the only key to the cell. After Gia’s little stunt this morning, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

I almost lost the only leverage I have. I’ll be damned if I allow it to happen again.

Zoe is still asleep in bed, the sedative pumping through her veins. I go over to her and scoop her up, holding her close and climbing the stairs once more. I keep going until we’re in my room and then I put her down.

Her chest rises and falls slowly with each breath she takes, her soft sighs filling the room. Her dark lashes brush against her cheek.

It’s a shame she’s such a pain in my ass. She’s so beautiful.

Zoe shifts in her sleep, but it’s not enough to make me think that she’s close to waking up.

I pace back and forth at the foot of the bed, casting glances at her every now and then.

Though I could kill her right now and be done with all of it, there’s still information I want from her and a cocaine business I need to reestablish, but I have to find out who her supplier is now and try to make contact with them. And I need to know who is running the shots.

Besides, the thought of actually killing her holds no appeal to me. She gets me. And that’s getting to be rarer and rarer these days.

“What am I going to do with you?” I crouch beside the bed, brushing some of her hair out of her face. “You’ve been nothing but a problem for me, and now my family is turning against me. You understand how this is creating problems for me, don’t you?”

She lets out a soft sigh.

“Of course, you do.” I fold my arms on the bed, putting my chin on them. “I keep trying to come up with ways for us to stay together. We just click. But you and I both know that we’re never going to love each other. I don’t think I’m capable of love, either, if we’re being honest.”

I hum the first song I ever danced with her to.

It was a bad night, and both of us were looking to get a little lost. I didn’t know who she was, and if she knew who I was, she didn’t say. Not that it would’ve mattered. She’s the only one who understands me in a way that no one, not even my family does.