Page 110 of Kiss of Deceit

“Shit,” I breathed out, panic tightening my chest when he pushed his thumb at the base of mine, hitting a pressure point I wouldn’t be able to fight against. In the times I’d talked about my training, he failed to mention his. It was becoming quickly apparent I wasn’t the only one with fighting skills.

I yanked against him, shoving my body into his, trying to stop him. I made a frustrated noise when he squeezed the pressure point, forcing my grip to relax. When I lost my hold on the knife, I threw my other elbow back, catching him in the side of the ribs. A pained grunt left him when I did it again. He grabbed my wrist once my hand was off the knife, and reached around me, going for my other arm.

In a practiced move, I spun around to face him, breaking his hold before bringing my knee up. He turned just in time, and I kneed him in the thigh instead of the groin. My palms slapped on his shirt when I shoved him back. He stumbled back only a step, reminding me I couldn’t beat him with strength alone. He overpowered me in weight and muscle.

He knocked my arm away when I went to jab his throat. “You know how to fight,” he said between heavy breaths, blocking my next attack. “But you’re rusty. When’s the last time you trained?”

“Rusty?” I repeated, fury exploding within me. “I took two men down while drugged. I think I can handle you.”

He snatched my wrists, his hold iron tight as he kept me at arm’s length. My struggles ceased when we locked eyes, his deep stare stabbing me in the heart. There was no malice or anger in his gaze. He still looked like the man I was falling for.

“This is different,” he said gruffly. “I’mdifferent. Even after finding all this out, you don’t want to kill me. Deep down you know I’m not the killer. That I’m not a bad person.”

“I don’t know that,” I choked out hoarsely. “I know nothing about you.”

“Give me a chance to fix that.”

“This—you—are the reason I don’t let people in,” I shrieked, ignoring the tears running down my cheeks. “There is no fixing it.”

It didn’t matter that I was keeping secrets from him. My twisted, murderous past. I knew my own mind. I would never harm an innocent. It was impossible to know Kole’s mind or intentions, just like everyone else in this world.

I raised my foot, and this time my kick landed. When my heel connected with his groin, he hissed out a string of curses, his hold loosening on my wrists. He went to his knees, and I shoved him to the floor before racing past him, out of the room. He yelled my name as I ran through the kitchen.

I didn’t care how much I disliked Susan. She was the only person I could confide in about Kole’s secret room.

My bare feet slapped against the wood as I passed the island. There was no time for shoes. I could deal with the freezing weather for a few minutes since her condo wasn’t too far. My pulse thudded in my ears as I reached the front door.

My moments of relief were short-lived when I heard him behind me. I let out a scream when his arms banded around me, trapping mine at my sides. He lifted my feet off the floor, preventing me from gaining any upper hand against him.

“Get off,” I screeched, struggling in his hold.

“Stop fighting me,” he shot back.

He pushed me onto the couch, my chest pressing into the cushions as he pulled my hands behind my back. He was sitting on my legs, his weight more than enough to keep me still. Something wrapped around my wrists, and I fought against him, spitting curses at him. The restraint was pulled tight, and once it was secure, he climbed off me.

“I’ll kill you,” I snarled, terror lining my veins when he picked me up. “You won’t get away with any of this?—”

“All we’re going to do is talk.” He threw me over his shoulder, walking back toward the laundry room. “Trust me.”

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

kole

I leaned against the desk,scrubbing a hand down my face before looking back at Dani. If looks could kill, I’d be six feet under by now. She was sitting in the office chair with her hands still tied behind her back with my belt. Though, I had a feeling she’d wriggle out of that soon. Hopefully by then, she’ll be calm enough to have a rational conversation and not try to stab me.

Neither of us had spoken a word since I carried her back in here. Into the room no one else was ever supposed to fucking find out about. It was the reason I never had a roommate. The raging storm in her eyes only grew when she met my stare. I’d take the hatred she was spitting at me over the tears she had earlier. The look of betrayal when I found her fucking tore me apart.

“What now?” she gritted out, finally breaking the silence.

“I’m still trying to figure that out.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

I cursed under my breath. “Fuck, Dani. I’m not the killer. But you finding out about this? It’s not good.”

Her features only hardened. No fear or terror. If her arms weren’t trapped behind her back, she’d be going for the knives again. She was a survivor. Someone who would never give up. Something I loved about her, even when her rage was aimed at me.

“Go ahead,” she snapped, jerking a nod toward the ski masks. “Try to explain this.”