KNOX
Sarah is a chronic liar.
She lied without batting an eye. I wouldn't have cared if she had told the truth about the caller ID... or maybe I would have had a bit of a problem with it. Just maybe.
But it didn't fucking justify her reason for lying to me.
I couldn't stop myself from eavesdropping, and the things I heard afterward were enough to make me erupt like a bomb.
She was with me to stop me from hurting her little lover? I scoffed.
Anger spread through me-fast, consuming, unstoppable. Tightening my fists, I clenched my jaw and dashed into my room. I was afraid staying there for another second would make me lose it completely.
I let my guard down. For a moment, I thought she was genuine. I believed she was genuine. The way she looked at me felt too real to be fake. I was ready to trust her, but who would have thought that I was just a pawn in her game of chess?
In my bedroom, I tried to sit, but I couldn't stay still. Standing seemed impossible too. I ended up pacing all over the room, hoping it could quench the fury burning aggressively within me.
Hell, nothing worked.
Her words replayed in my head. She had everything mapped out. Her plans were perfectly lined. Fuck! What exactly is she after?
Why must it be my stupid nephew? How is he better than I am?
"Boss, is there a problem?" Leonard asked. He had been in the room for more than ten minutes, watching me pace. "Is something disturbing you?"
"Do you still love yourself, Leonard?" I growled.
His eyes flickered. "Yes, boss," he gulped.
"Then mind your fucking business," I warned.
Leonard was my most trusted man, and he knew better than anyone not to speak further. Pursing his lips, he nodded and stepped away.
After pacing for another five minutes, I couldn't hold it in anymore. Sarah needed to tell me everything. What the hell was she planning? To run away from me?
I stormed out of my room.
⸻
SARAH
As soon as the call ended, I felt someone's presence behind the door. My heart skipped. Could someone have been eavesdropping? That would be a lot of trouble.
I rushed to the door and opened it but found no one. A sharp breath escaped my lungs. For a moment, I thought Knox had been there. That would have been dangerous. I didn't want to imagine what the situation would look like if he had actually heard what I said to Gerald.
After the call, I sat on the bed and thought about everything. Everything had been going smoothly since I was reborn. Too smoothly. Too perfectly. It felt too good to be true. Was there something I hadn't taken note of? Something I had missed?
I tried to think deeply but couldn't grasp anything.
Hissing, I stood up and yawned.
I was just being paranoid for no reason. What if things were going smoothly because I had already paid the price with my blood in my past life?
Well, whatever it was, I was certain I had everything under control and would deal with it as it came.
The zipper of my dress was pulled downward, and I had just dragged it off my shoulder when the door of my bedroom flew open. Before I could turn to see who it was, Knox was already in front of me.
The aura he emanated was so strong, defensive, and dangerous that it made my knees weaken before I even knew what was wrong. He was close to me, yet cold and distant. No matter how I looked at it, it felt like we were miles apart rather than standing close.
"Knox, is there-"
He didn't let me finish.
His hands gripped my shoulders. In a flash, I was dragged and pinned against the wall.
My breath hitched, and my chest heaved as I tried to steady myself. When I looked into his eyes, they were filled with darkness and coldness-enough to knock anyone off their feet. The slight affection he had shown me earlier was gone. There wasn't a trace of it... as if it had never existed.
"Why-"
Again, he cut me off by capturing my lips with his. At first, I thought he was driven by desire; I was ready to respond, but I was all wrong. I didn't expect the aggression and roughness that came with it. He didn't let me respond. He didn't let me breathe. It felt more like punishment than intimacy.
There was no tenderness; he just kept crushing my lips against his. I tried to move, but he held me in place.
My chest burned from the lack of air.
Then he bit my lips sharply. The pain shot through me, and I couldn't stop myself from crying out against his mouth, yet he didn't stop.
A metallic taste filled my mouth, but still, he didn't stop.
My knees weakened further. I squirmed and struggled against him, but he showed no mercy.
Again, he bit my lips, sending another wave of pain through me.
I couldn't take it anymore. With all the strength I could gather, I shoved him away.
"Are you crazy, Knox?" I shouted.
He smirked sinisterly and stepped closer again. When he reached me, I struck his face hard. "You're crazy, no doubt."
Blood lined the edge of his lips. With a dark smile, he ran his tongue over them.
"What did I tell you, little girl?" he growled, his eyes dark and expressionless. "I told you not to deceive me. Deception always comes with a cost," he added.
I was confused. What the hell was he talking about? How had I deceived him?
He grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. "Drop whatever game you're playing, girl. I gave you a ring and marked you mine." His heavy breath almost swallowed his words, but I still caught them. "You're going nowhere, Sarah. You're mine now... whether you like it or not." His voice was cold and menacing, sending a chill down my spine.
My gaze deepened at his words. It felt like he was speaking in riddles.
He stared at me for a few seconds longer, then released my chin. Before I could say anything, he was already gone, leaving behind the remnants of his anger and cold aura.
What did I do wrong?
Could it be that he overheard my convers-?
Hell no. I shook my head with a strained smile. No fucking way. Christ forbid that.
If he knew the truth, this would have been much worse.
⸻
Knox didn't return to his room after leaving Sarah's. He stormed outside.
When his men saw him, they gathered immediately.
"Leonard," Knox called.
"Yes, boss." Leonard stepped forward, bowing slightly.
"Send five of our strongest men to my nephew as a gift. I want his bones crushed and broken," he commanded.
