Page 60 of Promise to Break

Gah, why do people see him like that? The same way you do?

"Don't move," he says as he sets me on the ground near his car. I could start running again, but I want to go with him. Fuck me, I'm crazy. Yes, I've lost my mind, and although I'm aware of my demise, for the life of me, my feet won't move.

"That's a good little girl. Now sit your cute ass down. We're taking a ride." A number of scenarios run down my head, from my last day in this world to a trip to some island. But the so-called ride takes no more than three minutes as he stops on the road in front of the deviant cave.

"What are we doing at your house?"

"We're going to set a few things straight, and then we're going to play. What did you think in that head of yours? That I was going to take you to the basement?"

"So, you do have a basement?" I know they do. And bad things happen in there.

"We have a lot of them."

I scoff at that as he winks, letting his rare dimples peek at me for just a fleeting moment. For the longest time, I don't know what to say. I could sass him, but that won't lead me to answers. I came here because I wanted him to understand that I won't be his, and that's what I intend to do.

As I contemplate the best course of action, he takes the now-cooled cakes and the rest of the croquembouche with him. The legs that refused to move just a few minutes ago now nearly run to his front door.

Hero, the dog Raven and I met just days ago, greets us with a goofy doggy smile that falls a little as Killian ignores him. I do no such thing. I love dogs. Animals are much better than we are, and yes, I know a dog like Hero can look scary because of his stature, but he's just a good boy who wants to love people, even if those people are Killian.

"You're such a good boy. Yes, you are," I sing in a baby voice while still standing in the doorway.

"Come here, mutt." Killian's tone is stern, and the dog doesn't appear to have even a minor inclination to listen to him. Hero Just wags his tail, causing me to chuckle.

"Let's go see what your grumpy daddy wants from me," I say to Hero, loud enough for Killian to hear.

The place isn't as big or as luxurious as I imagined. Nothing like the empty mansions full of nothing but flare. No, this place is actually cozy.

We enter the living room right off the entryway. It's full of cushions and a feminine touch that I fully recognize. Raven. She decorated this place, I have no doubt. It shouldn't be such a big surprise to me, but it is, and not because of Killian or Liam, or even Kai, who scares her. Raven never told me so outright, but she's skittish around him at every dinner he's participated in. I'm surprised because she had to know that she was doing this for Liam as well, and I will never understand why she's kind to the man who hates her.

Just like you freely entered the home of your own bully?

"Raven did a much better job than my father's fuckbody decorator would have," Kilian says beside me as he sees me scanning the room. This is another thing about Killian—he hates Franco, and he doesn't make even the smallest effort to hide it. I don't know Franco, really. The man is a conundrum I don't know if I want to solve because I fear that if I ever managed to do that, I would never be the same. Franco, for his part, does all he can to ensure that no one ever sees his inner demon. The rumors about him are akin to those of a Hollywood celebrity, full of yellow stains. It's impossible to know what's true about the "dream man" and what isn't. That's a name given to him by the press because Franco declared it. He became a somebody when he was a no one. My logic tells me that however he got there, it wasn't a pretty way to win the throne of Franco Fierro.

"Where did you go just now?" Killian asks.

I blink at his insight. "I was thinking about your family, your father, actually. You don't like him."

His "you don't say" expression has me smiling.

"And you tend to do that a lot?"

"What?"

"Disappear into your head."

I shrug, and Killian says nothing as he cups my cheek in his huge hands. I want to lean into him, and I almost do. Almost.

"You're stubborn, aren't you?" he states as he leaves me with the absence of his continued touch.

"Where are you going?"

"To make some black coffee. I want to eat some of your cake. By the way, what's in it?"

"It's a lemon tart, and don't eat it all. I need to save some for Raven and Julian."

"Hmm…"

"What's that supposed to mean?" He disappears into what I presume is the kitchen. Hero looks at me as if saying, "he's weird, I know." I wonder how those men got this dog. A mission gone wrong is what Killian said.

---