Page 99 of Cruel Possession

I go to the ground, and he’s back at Zoe.

“You’re nothing. Worthless.” He scowls down at her, shaking his head like he’s disappointed in her. “I’ve done everything I could to make you powerful. To make you a killer. And you can’t even put a bullet in his fucking head.”

Zoe’s jaw tightens as I push to my feet. “You want him dead, then you kill him yourself.”

Noah sighs and presses the gun to her temple, reaching up to wipe some of the blood dripping out of his nose.

I’m not sure when she got him in the face, but I’m glad she did. Bastards like him deserve to be hit in the face more.

Zoe glowers at him. “You think this makes you a man?”

“I think this makes me in control of you.” Noah’s finger curls around the trigger. “It’s time to choose who you’re loyal to, Zoe. No more fucking around.”

And then she spits in his face.

I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose.

This is the most fucked up shit I’ve ever dealt with. If I was a smarter man, I’d be running for the other door. I could do it now. Neither of them is paying attention to me.

But then I slip my hand into my pocket, toying with the ring there.

I was going to give it to her tonight. I thought by the end of the night we’d be in bed, my ring on her finger, speaking about the future.

Instead, there’s guns everywhere, egos running rampant, and I’m starting to feel like I’m in the middle of a horrible drama movie.

So, I do the only thing I can think of doing. I creep closer to the back door. If I can step outside, I can make a call and get Royce over here.

But I don’t get that far.

A bullet grazes my arm, blood drawn.

Noah looks at me, hand squeezing Zoe’s throat. “Get back here.”

Turning, I start to make my way back to them, my heart pounding in my chest. Each step I take feels like I’m one step closer to the edge of the grave and just waiting to jump inside.

I glance at the blood still dripping down Zoe’s arm and leg. She looks like she’s barely standing as she sways on her feet a little. A sheen of sweat on her forehead. Another glance at her thigh makes it look like the wound is starting to clot, but I could be wrong.

She can bleed out.

Noah lets her go, leaning against the wall, his eyes narrowing as he watches me. “Hands out of your pockets.”

I pull them out and hold them up, stiffening when he pushes off the wall.

Noah stalks over to me like he’s stalking his prey. His hand shoves into my pocket, and he grabs the ring, pulling it out with a smirk.

“Well, well, well, would you look at this?” Noah holds the ring up under the light before turning to Zoe. “I’m going to say right now that you did your job too well. Look at the size of the rock he bought you. Didn’t he get the message that you weren’t actually interested?”

“Enough, Noah. This is getting ridiculous.”

Noah hums to himself, going back to her and taking her by the hand.

He smirks and slides the ring onto her finger. “Now, that really is quite sparkly. It’s a shame you’re not going to have a fiancé while you’re wearing it.”

Zoe rips her hand out of his. “Stop.”

He continues as if he didn’t hear her. “I think this might make it to the media. Jilted woman kills her fiancé. Suspect at large.”

Noah leans against a wall out of the way, pointing the gun at Zoe again.