Page 17 of Shattered Vows

If she had no hope, I’d have nothing to destroy, but if I water that hope and let it grow, I’ll have the sweetest pleasure of ripping it all away in one fell swoop. Then I’ll stare down at the devastation left in the aftermath.

I force my voice to soften. “Let’s go, Rapsody. You can’t just waste away.”

She dramatically shifts into a seated position and crawls out of bed. I step back and sit in the same spot I did yesterday.

“Why are you being… nice?” she asks, removing the metal dome from over the plate and setting it aside.

It’s clear nice wasn’t the adjective she wanted to use but chose it anyway. She’s right to be wary. I’m going to have to move slowly so as not to raise her suspicions.

I blow out a breath. “I’m not being nice. I’m being practical. I can’t keep you here forever, despite what you might fear.”

She looks at me cautiously. “Why are you keeping me here at all?”

There’s a plea in her voice that makes my chest tighten, but I shut that shit down and answer her question honestly. “Because we were supposed to be married, and you left me on our wedding day without an explanation, and you disappeared. You made me think that you loved me and wanted to spend your life with me.” I let some of the anger and betrayal seep into my voice.

Her gaze falls to the plate of food, but she says nothing.

I remember the first time I saw her in that hospital cafeteria. She was like a beaming ray of sunshine. It was as if the world knew that, because the light coming through the window glistened against her long blonde hair. She glowed from the inside out, so when that empty water bottle rolled my way, it was the opening I needed.

I didn’t woo women. When I was enlisted, I got laid as the opportunity arose, but I’ve never been drawn to anyone like I was with Rapsody. After only a few minutes of conversation, it was obvious how sweet and sheltered she was. Something about her innocence drew me in, and not because I wanted to destroy it, but because I wanted to preserve it. But she’d played me for the fool. And now she’ll end up as the fool.

“Why did you do it, Rapsody?”

She says nothing, staring at her plate.

Anger boils inside me. After all these years, she doesn’t even deem me worthy enough to know the truth about why she ran out on me?

“Why?” I slam my hand on the table, and she flinches. “Was it just a ploy to get at my money, and then you couldn’t go through with it? Are you just a cruel, heartless bitch who gets off on ruining people’s lives? Are you a con artist? Were you sent from one of my family’s enemies to try to bring me down? Why did you pretend to love me?” The last question slips out, and I hate the desperation in my tone.

She bolts up from the chair. “I loved you! I didn’t pretend anything. You’re the liar!”

I bite back my grin. Finally, she speaks.

Chapter

Eight

RAPSODY

Icrumple into the chair, embarrassed by my admission, scared by what I said, how I said it, and the repercussions of my outburst. But when Kol asked why I’d pretended to love him, I couldn’t allow him to think that…I just can’t explain why.

His face was etched in pain. So much pain after all these years, and I don’t understand why. It doesn’t make sense for the man I knew him to be, the man he showed me he was with his actions this week, to feel that deeply about what I did after all this time.

“Between the two of us, you’re the liar,” Kol says with a sneer.

I shake my head, afraid to admit what I found out, why I left, for fear of how he’ll react.

“All right then. Tell me. Why am I the liar?” He leans back in his chair and crosses his arms. His shirt sleeves bunch in his biceps. He’ll never wrap me in the embrace of his strong arms again, like he once did. “I’m waiting.”

I have no choice but to tell him something. “You told me you were a special ops soldier.”

His amber eyes narrow. “I was at the time.”

“You let me believe that’s all you were. You didn’t tell me you were the son of a billionaire. A billionaire yourself.”

A sadistic laugh rings through the room, and I suppress a shiver. “Most women would be happy to marry a billionaire. Especially a dumb one who didn’t demand a prenup and was more likely than not to be killed in action.”

My stomach twists at the thought of him in danger on some mission. Which is ridiculous since he’s holding me captive. “That’s not the point. You lied to me. You lied about who you were. How could I ever trust you?”

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