Page 20 of Kiss of Ruin (Brutal Empire)

The words that shattered my heart into a million pieces still reverberated within my soul. I push back in my chair and stand up. I take a deep breath to calm the shaking in my legs, and walk around him and away from the table.

I don’t stop at any point in the house, instead going to straight to my room. I shut the door, even though I know the Acosta’s set aside the entire wing for my use. Right now, I need a door between me and the man that deep down I still love.

I can’t breathe. My chest hurts seeing him. Anger and pain war inside me for the top emotion. My head is pounding. Everything had been so bright only an hour ago when I left my room has become dark. Like shadows following you down the sidewalk. Reality is back and I can’t find a way to escape it.

I don’t care that I showered only a few hours ago, I reached into one of my drawers and pull out another bathing suit. The water has always helped to clear my thoughts. I glance out the window of my room to the large pool before stepping into the bathroom to change.

The sun is beginning to set when I step outside. The orange and pinks of the sky match the emptions running through me. The colors commingling for control of the sky. I don’t know what to feel.

I set the towel on one of the chairs and dive in, letting the water surround me. It’s warmer than I expect. There’s no sound in the depths of the pool, only my thoughts screaming a million different things in my head. I try to focus on one at a time. Solve one problem at a time.

The first being the realization that my heart still wants Nico after everything he’s done, or hasn’t done for me.

When I can’t hold my breath anymore, I push off the bottom and break through the surface of the water. There’s a ledge around the shallow end of the pool. I swim over and sit, watching as darkness creeps through the sky. The stars try to make themselves known, but they are fighting against the lights from the city in the distance.

I’d convinced myself that I didn’t love Nico anymore. That I would not allow myself to be tossed aside by another man again. Yet here I sat in the pool below the stars trying to figure out where I went wrong.

He betrayed me. Left me alone when I needed him the most. How can I still love him?

Maybe because I’ve always loved Nico. Even when I was married to Luis. I managed to convince myself that everything was Nico’s fault. That I didn’t like him, didn’t want to be around him to protect myself. I close my eyes, doing my best to keep the tears at bay.

Right now, I need time. Time to process why he could possibly be here. I know I could find out from his own lips. I also know that his voice, his words could send me right back into his arms. I’m not ready for that yet.

I close my eyes and rest my head on the concrete behind me. What the hell am I supposed to do?

The sounds of the night invade my senses. The sound of the waves crashing on the beach is like a balm to my soul. It calms me when everything else feels like a tempest inside me. My heart rate slows for the first time since seeing Nico standing in his parents’ house.

“I thought I’d find you out here.” My eyes snap open and I whirl around. He’s sitting on a lounge chair with his elbows resting on his knees, watching me. I don’t know how long he’s been sitting there.

Suddenly, feeling very self-conscious in my bikini, I climb out of the pool and walk past him without saying a word. I reach for the towel when I feel warm hands on my back when the scar from the gunshot wound it. “Scarlett,” his voice is hoarse.

Every muscle in my body tenses up as his fingers run across the line where they performed the surgery to remove the bullet. A tremble runs through me, even as I try to stop it. My heart begs me to turn around and throw myself into his arms and beg for him not to leave.

It’s a split second before my mind wins out. Without I grab the towel and wrap it around me, blocking his hand from my skin.

“Fuck you, Nico,” I snap, letting him watch my back as I storm into the house.

I enter my room, and for the first time since living here, I lock the door behind me. I don’t know if Nico has a key to get into the room, or if his parents would even give it to him if he doesn’t.

Either way, it gives me the sense of protection. There’s more physically between us than a door. For the second time that night, I step into the bathroom and take a shower. This time I don’t rush, letting the too hot water burn away the memories of that evening.

Once wrinkles form on my fingers, I finally climb out. Dry and wrapped in a robe, I walk back to the chair with the lights off. If Nico is still out by the pool I don’t want him to be able to see into the room. I hate drawing the curtains unless I’m asleep and I know if I keep the lights off, he can’t see through the tinting in the glass.

I take a seat in the chair. The laptop sits on the ottoman where I left it earlier with plans to keep up my research on Elena. Right now, getting my hands on her doesn’t seem as important as it did only a few hours ago. I know there is only one way to deal with Nico if I’m going to keep my heart intact.

I need to avoid him while he’s here. The same way I did at the house in New York. Meals would be the only time I will need to deal with him, and then I’m surrounded by others. It won’t be easy, but I won’t allow myself to go down that same path again. Showing up here is not enough to forgive him for everything that happened.

Tomorrow, I will take Isabel up on her offer to look at that dress in the boutique. The less time in the house the better. I know I can convince Sofia to come with me and spend the rest of the day shopping.

Feeling more in control I climb into bed knowing that I won’t be able to avoid dreams about Nico tonight.

ChapterTen

Scarlett

Strong arms surround me. It feels like coming home. I melt into the embrace. Warm lips caress the back of my neck. They travel down my spine, spending a little more time near my lower back. My nipples grow hard. I need more. I want his hands on me.

It’s like we’re connected, when he moves me to my back and climbs on top of me. His lips press against mine and he forces his tongue deep into my mouth tasting every inch. I grind my lower body against his, feeling his hard cock as it presses into me. Liquid heat races through me. His fingers toy with my nipples and liquid fire races through me when the pressure increases.

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