As I looked upinto that dark deep blue of his, something shifted in them, and aslight smirk formed in the corner of Darren’slips.
“My sweet, sweet,Jaden,” he smiled. “That is one hell of a deal you’vepresented.”
I felt my insidesquiver as I waited with baited fucking breath for hisresponse.
Takethe deal. Take the fucking deal!
“But why on Earthwould I agree to give up something I desire for something I’malready going to achieve?”
I felt my eyesbulge as I stared up at him. Was he seriously turning medown?
“Wait, what?” Iasked, not sure I even understood. Darren still held my face in hishands, and he suddenly began to walk forward, forcing me to takeseveral steps backward as I fought to remainbalanced.
“You see, Jaden,everything you just offeredme is already going to happen anyway,regardless of whether I agree to spare your family or not.Voluntary or not makes no difference to me. You are mine no matterwhat you try to rationalize and no amount of bargaining will changethat. In fact, those lovely words you just declared can beconsidered your wedding vows to me because that is exactly what Iexpect from you and, in time, that is exactly whatI will get from you.I don’t need to make a deal with you to ensure that. I hate tobreak it to you, princess, but I’m declining your offer because,like I said, you have nothing to bargain with.”
I felt my entirebeing completely shut down. I felt my knees give out, but Darrencaught me and held me against him. I felt myself begin tohyperventilate as I came to the realization that the devil didn’tneed to bargain for my soul … because he already fucking had it. Mybody shivered with fear as more hushed tears rolled down my face,soaking Darren’s shirt.
“Shh …” Darrenwhispered, his arm tight around my body, as his hands caressed upand down my back. “You’re going to be all right, Jaden. It will behard at first, but eventually, it will get easier. Ipromise.”
Rage instantlybuilt up inside of me again. It would get easier? He thought itwould get easier for me once my family was dead?! Was this guy ondrugs?! How could he possibly expect me to forgive him forthis!
I tried to containit, but it needed an outlet. Badly.
“You …” I startedto say softly, and eventually, I finally found my voice. “You can’tfucking do this to me!” I shouted at him, pulling away, but hisarms remained around me. “I’ve already given you everything! Whythe fuck do you need to take them from me,too?!”
“Jaden, stop it,”he demanded sternly, his hands now gripping my upper armstightly.
“No! Get the fuckoff me! Let go of me! I fucking hate you! I can’t even stand thesight of you!”
I started to cry.I couldn’t help myself. I felt so weak and pathetic as I tried tobreak free from his hold, but he was just too goddamn strong.Irritated as shit, I finally brought my foot up to kick him. Heabsorbed the kick, grunting as he did and then threw me roughly onthe floor. I crashed against the carpet and had no energy left tofight him. My anguish was absolutely exhausting. Myfacestill hurt, and my body had nothing leftto give. I just curled into myself, covering my face and ears withmy hands in a futile attempt to hide from him.
I could feel himstanding over me, could feel his rage seep from him, infecting theair around us, and it made me sick to mystomach.
“Keep behavinglike this, Jaden, and I swear to God, you won’t see the light ofday for a very long time,” he warned, his eyes gleaming down atme.
I felt my lipscurl in absolute hatred. What difference did it make? It wasn’t asif I would ever feel real light in my life ever again. I looked upat him from the floor, my fists curling at my chest, and I wantednothing more than to hurl myself at him and gouge his eyes out withmy thumbs. But something else entirely roared off mytongue.
“If you kill them,you’ll be taking away my only reason to live. If there’s nothingleft of them, you will find nothing left of me in return. Thenwe’ll see who’s really wonthis little battle, won’t we?”
My new attempt atthreats was stone cold and serious. Why would Iwantto continue living if myonly reason for living was gone?This was my personal Hell. If death wasmy only escape, then maybe that was the better way out. I wouldn’tbe able to accomplish my goal of killing Darren and bringing hiscriminal organization to the ground, butatleast, he would have tocontinue living without his obsession. He could spend the rest ofhis miserable days in want, knowing I was free of him and restingpeacefully with my loved ones. Maybe that was the only way I couldtruly get back at him, truly win.
Darren’s handscasually shifted into his pockets as he remained unfazed by mylatest threat. A little grin began to form at the corner of hislips while his eyes blazed with that intensity that made me quiverinside.
“Please,” he said,amused. “Like you’d ever allow yourself to become that weak as toend your own life. And besides,” he said, resting his arm on thetall bedpost and leaningover me, “I plan on giving you a whole new reason to live. And theyhave little feet tinier than yours.”
His arrogance wasbeyond annoying as well as disgusting. It was as if no matter whatI said, what I proposed or threatened, Darren would not budge. Itwas his way without even the option of the highway. Fuck, if I hadthat option, I’d be speeding down it so fast, I’d have the entirecounty police department on my tail.
So that was itthen. Plan A it is.
“Now, if you’llexcuse me,” he said, heading for the door, “I have some work todo.”
Panic rushed me asI realized the work he was referring to was probably locating myfamily for their execution. I threw myself forward from the floorand raced after him.
“Wait! Darren,don’t!” I shouted as I ran after him, but by the time I reached thedoor, he had just closed it without even bothering to turn aroundas the lock
