A High so Sweet (Thornes & Roses 2)

“You know,” I tell the room, “I used to think that beauty was in the eye of the beholder. I also believed in love and loyalty. And even now, I wonder if that’s something you’d stand by.” The more I remind myself of what she did, the deeper I walk into the room. Soft breaths filter across the space toward me.

I ponder my move.

This was never my game.

The hide and seek, the hunting, it was more my brothers—Damien and Finn—who reveled in it. I was more of a lurker, a stalker if you want to call me that. I would watch from a distance, allow the prey to come to me. But with her, I want her scared. Desire thrums through my veins. It’s as if I can smell the fear which emanates from her like a perfume, filling the confined space.

“Come out, little liar, time to pay your penance,” I call in a sing-song tone. A soft gasp sounds when I reach the closet door, and a smile cracks on my face. “In the dark, dark night, the hunter finds his prey,” I tell her. “And when he captures her, he’ll feast on her fear and devour her flesh.”

Shoving the door wide, I listen to how it creaks, and the silky material, the same color as the bubbly that we’re serving the guests, comes into view. I reach into the cupboard and fist my hand into the soft strands of brown curls, tugging harshly.

She stumbles from her hiding spot, and those wide chocolate eyes lock on my cold teal ones. Her breath catches when I lean in, inhaling her scent as I grin down at her. I must look like a maniac in my mask. She won’t recognize me. It’s been years since she even laid eyes on me.

“Are you scared, little liar?” My voice is husky as I question her. I’m only met with a slight nod before I say, “Good. Because you’re going to be mine. The next few weeks are going to be your worst nightmare.”

“Cassian? Is that you? Why are you doing this?” The fear in her voice drips over me, warming me like molten lava from a raging volcano. Her eyes, widening and her lips, parting as I whisper my mouth over hers. The flavor of the wine she’d been drinking earlier tantalizing me.

“Who else did you think it was, Kalyn?” I question her, with a smirk curling my lips. “Because the moment you stepped foot back in my town, you asked for this. You made yourself a target.”

“I-I can’t believe you could do this to me,” she whimpers, the pure and utter dread in her tone drenches every word. “Why are you doing this when we’re—”

“Don’t even fucking say we’re strangers, or I will show you just how angry I am right now.” I release her from my hold, and she stumbles backward. The rules of the game ensure she’s mine until our December Winter’s Ball. This little game is nothing compared to what she’s about to live through.

“Please, just let me explain what happened, why I did what I did. It’s better—”

“Get on your fucking knees,” I bite out, stepping in her path to the exit. We can hear people on the lower levels, the squeals, and laughs, but they won’t come up here because Finn is keeping guard.

For a moment, she hesitates, but the look on my face must show her I’m not joking around. Slowly, she sinks to the floor, her eyes locked on mine, and I notice the tremble that continually shoots through her.

I smile, and I’m sure it causes the make up on my face to turn sinister. I enjoy the torment I’m causing because when she left, she didn’t think twice about what she did to me. And that’s okay, I’m over it; the only thing left to do is earn my revenge.

Slowly, torturously, I lift my hand and reach for the gold chain hanging around my neck. I tug at the metal and bring it up over my head until I’m freed from the confines. I flick open the locket and twist it toward her.

Her eyes widen when she sees the two kids standing side by side. And when I glance down at the woman that I’m about to torture for the next six weeks, I offer the dark grin that usually makes others shudder.

Her mouth falls open when she finally looks up, meeting my eyes, and sees me. Her expression changes from worry, to excitement, to fear. Just like I knew it would.

“Cassian.” My name on her lips is nothing more than fuel to the already raging inferno that’s taken hold of me. She did this to me. She made me a monster. And then she says, “I’m sorry.”

9

Kalyn

There’s no more running because he is inches from me. The words fall from my lips without me even thinking about them. “I’m sorry.” For a long moment, he doesn’t respond, and I’m thankful Paulo isn’t here right now; he doesn’t need to see this. He most definitely doesn’t need to know Cassian is here and only a step away, and my heart thuds a nervous rhythm like it usually does around him.