Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 97557 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97557 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
“Talk to me.” Ely’s soft voice meets my ears.
I stare at her for a long moment, trying to figure out what I want to tell her. I’m weak. So fucking weak. “Tell me not to do it.”
She shakes her head and takes a couple deep breaths. "No. I can’t. Not knowing everything she's done to you, and that’s just what you’ve shared with me. I don’t know everything… .”
"Someday I’ll tell you. Just not right now, not today."
She nods. "I understand. If anyone does, I do, right?"
I nod once, my chest almost bursting with the love and pride I feel for her. "You might not see me the same after you witness this.”
She smiles, and it warms me from the inside out. “I love you, Seb. The good parts, the bad parts, the broken and chipped pieces. All the pieces make you who you are, and I’d never want you to be anything but who you’re meant to be.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m more than sure. Together. ’Til death.”
I smile, my confidence in my ability to face this and end it for good restored by her simple faith in me."Last chance, Little Prey. Do you want to go upstairs and wait for me?"
She shakes her head no. “Do your worst, Sebastian. Show me all your dark, depraved sides, and I'll lead you back to the light.”
I unbutton my shirt sleeves, slowly rolling them up my forearms, and train my gaze on a trembling Tanya. I hold my hand out for the gun, and Aries steps forward slapping it into my hand.
“I’ll lead you back to the light…”
I put all my hope into her words, then I cross the room and crouch down in front of Tanya.
Her expression fills with horror, but there’s no room for and I slip into that dark place in my mind where nothing and no one can touch me. With the muzzle of the gun, I tilt Tanya’s chin up and force her to look at me.
"It’s time for us to have a little chat."
CHAPTER 25
ELYSE
“Do you know what it’s like to feel worthless?” Sebastian’s tone is cold, flat, and dark in a way I’ve never heard before. The calm before the storm.
Tanya either had no self preservation instincts or she is dumber than I gave her credit before. She scoffs. Scoffs!
“You’ve never felt worthless in your whole pampered life, Sebastian. Not once since your grandfather stuck that silver spoon between your baby teeth and took you as his heir.” She shifts over onto her knees and braces her hands to stand on her sky high designer heels.
Something is different. Sebastian’s face reads lethal. Tanya’s face reads lustful. It’s almost enough to make me throw up in my mouth. She looks at him like she owns him and that sure as hell sets me off.
“Stop looking at him like that!” I snap.
Tanya doesn’t even spare me a glance but Sebastian tilts his head to look at me, and when he stares into my eyes the coldness is gone. It’s all heat.
Tanya senses she’s losing, and she gets to her feet and straightens her dress. Sebastian stands with her, turns to the fireplace mantle, and snatches up a knife. One particular knife I know intimately.
“Not that one.” I say.
He looks at me again, then approaches and hands me the blade, hilt first, the razor sharp edge between his index and middle finger like a cigarette.
“Take it, Ely. It’s yours.”
I take the knife and settle it in my lap, keeping my eyes on him as he produces a smaller knife from his pocket. “This one is a little smaller, a little duller, but it’ll do the job.”
Tanya pastes on a smile, but it doesn’t reach her dead eyes. “Now, Sebby, come on. We can figure this out without all that.” She waves at the blade in his hand.
Sebastian steps up to her in a lightning fast move, grabbing her by the front of her dress and throwing her back to her knees again. “Answer the question, Tanya. Have you ever felt worthless?”
She gulps, shifting side to side on knees that no doubt hurt from his brutal handling. “I left all that behind me. I don’t feel it anymore.”
Sebastian studies her, and I see the warmth in his eyes drifting away. I wish I could save him from this, but I know it’ll help him in the end. All I can do is be here for him while he faces it, faces her. “What do you mean you left that all behind?”
She straightens her shoulders, trying desperately to hold onto some semblance of dignity. I don’t feel sorry for her, not for a second.
“If I tell you, will you stop with the violence, let me go?”
Sebastian laughs, and it’s a cold thing that slithers through my insides like an ice cube on a hot stone. “No. You’re going to die today, one way or another. I just want to know if the trauma you inflicted was worth it to you? If raping a teenage boy, if breaking him, was worth it?”