Page 79 of Twisted Ties

I glare at him some more.

“Little rabbit,” he chuckles. “This is unfair. You don’t mind when he makes you scream. You rather seem to enjoy it.”

He can’t possibly have heard us together … That isn’t true. Is it? It can’t be. He’s messing with me.

“More wheels spinning,” he says. “You do like to think a lot. Fucking and thinking, thinking and fucking.”

“You’re sick,” I spit. For the briefest of moments, he looks genuinely hurt, like my words have wounded him. That can’t be right either, can it? Why would he care what I think of him? Then that amusement returns to his face.

“If you want,” he says, licking his tongue slowly along his bottom lip in a manner that has my pulse jumping, “we could find out just how sick and twisted I can be.”

“I don’t want to play your games.”

“If I’m honest, I’m not one of those guys who’s particularly bothered by consent, little rabbit.” He takes another step. We’re just a foot apart. “But for you, hey, maybe–” His words halt mid-sentence and he shakes his head suddenly, swiping at his ears as if annoyed by an irritating thought. “This isn’t what I wanted to talk to you about,” he mutters. “I have another gift for you.”

“My knife? I want it back.”

“No, you left it behind and it belongs to me now. All mine.” He halts, peering down at my hands. “You’re not wearing it.”

“What?” I say, struggling to follow his rambling thoughts.

“My ring, little rabbit. You didn’t like it?”

“Why would I?” I say in disbelief.

“Because I gave it to you.”

“I don’t want anything from you,” I hiss.

He smiles at me. Those eyes of his draw me in and I hold my breath.

Why aren’t I fighting him?

He bends closer, gaze traveling over my face. “You sure about that, little rabbit?” he growls, a sound that seems to travel right through my body. He reaches into his pocket andI flinch ready to receive an attack, but all he pulls out is his closed fist. “Because I think you’ll like this gift.” Slowly, he uncurls his fingers and, despite myself, I can’t help looking with curiosity at what rests in his palm. Three or four small white objects. “I wanted to bring you his heart, but it would have been fucking messy.”

I gasp and then the bedroom door on the landing above creaks open.

“Rhi?”

I go to warn Winnie, to call out, but I’m too late. Barone’s head snatches her way, and before I can raise my hands to stop him, he’s sent a blast of magic at her. Winnie screams as the magic hits her stomach and she flies backwards through the open doorway. I hear her crash into the wall.

“NO!” I yell, shooting a torrent of magic his way. It smacks him on the shoulder, and he hisses, stumbling backwards. Before he can react, I volley more his way, and he lifts his hands to shield himself, my magic crackling and splintering around him.

“I don’t want to hurt you, little rabbit,” he calls out. I snarl, stalking forward, feeling that dark magic sizzling in my fingers. “I want you to come with me.”

I don’t answer him, simply let that dark magic fester until it’s so rabid, I have no choice but to launch it across the small space between us. It hits his shield, the thing splintering and shattering into a million pieces and Renzo tumbling to the ground.

His eyes go wide with wonderment, and a wild smile pulls across his face.

“Crimson magic,” he says with awe, like he’s seen something truly angelic. “Fuck me.”

“I’m going to fucking kill you.”

“You are?” he says, that smile even wider as he stares up at me.

His obvious delight has me hesitating. Do I want to kill him? I think of the man in the wood. I remember how that felt. Something dark shimmers in my belly.

“Use it, little rabbit,” he says from the ground, his eyes glittering. “Use it all.”