Page 14 of Hateful Games

“Still no need to let all this food go to waste.” Nodding toward Jasmine, she says, “Jasmine can keep you company. It’s been a while since you all spent time together.”

“Sure.” At my answer, Nathan squints suspiciously. His gaze conveying that he hasn’t forgotten my complaining as we rode here to suddenly switching to desire to stay. I ignore him and ask Lily with a polite smile, “Excuse me, where’s the restroom?”

“Just go straight down the hallway and to your left.”

“Thanks.”

Jasmine opens her mouth as if to follow me, but Nathan steals her attention. “So, Jasmine, what have you been studying?”

Their voices fade into the background as I go in search of my little Rose. She’s in for a rude awakening if thinks she can walk away with the last word. The hallway leading to her bedroom upstairs is deserted, which is shocking considering I saw a dozen staff members roaming when Nathan and I were being led to the garden.

It is eerily quiet here, even more so upstairs.

Almost as if no one is allowed in this wing without permission.

Her door is ajar when I reach it. Pushing it open, I find it empty. Nevertheless, a chuckle slips out of me when I notice she installed glass sliding doors with a lock for her bookshelves.

Adrenaline thrums in my veins as I slip out of the room and go in search of her. Besides knowing she’s a bookworm, there’s not really much I know about my fiancée. It irritates the side of me that hates being at a disadvantage.

Where are you hiding, little Rose?

I can’t win against my enemies if I don’t know their weaknesses, what makes them tick, and down to their deepest, darkest sins.

Pausing, I scoff at myself. Rosalie has barely lived her life to be possibly hiding something tragic. But I also know better than anyone how deceiving appearances can be.

Before I can dwell further, I hear soft footfalls climbing up the stairs at the very end of the hallway. I almost missed them last time but realized it led to the back of the garage downstairs.

I lurk in the corner, catching a glimpse of flaming red curls as they enter my line of sight. Unbeknownst to the danger, Rosalie bounces down the hallway looking a bit disheveled.

Her breathing is kicked up as if she did some physical labor, or it could be from traveling the flight of stairs. Who fucking knows? However, it’s the sly smirk playing on her lips that puts me on edge.

I curse inwardly when my gaze involuntarily drifts to her belly piercing.

I swear, that tiny jewel is going to torment me for the rest of my life.

The second she’s close, I grab her elbow and pull her against my chest. A frightened yelp leaves her mouth, echoing around us. I cover her lips on instinct, even though we’re alone and no one comes hurrying to check.

For some unknown reason, I don’t like the possibility of her being alone and defenseless, where no one can hear her. The protectiveness dissolves when she bites my palm and I yank my hand back, glaring down at her.

“Quit stalking me in my own house, you perv.”

“You don’t dismiss me,” I taunt, trapping her against the wall in the hallway without touching her. “That’s not how this works, little Rose.”

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“Can’t a man check on his fiancée when she’s having a headache?”

“Any other man on the planet, sure. Not you, though,” she retorts. “Your presence alone will give any woman a perpetual headache.”

Instead of responding, I study her and she stills nervously. There’s a light sheen of sweat on her forehead, the bridge of her perfect nose, while her cheeks are sunburnt, as if she stood in the sun too long. My gaze narrows suspiciously.

“Where were you, Rose?”

“Do you suffer from memory loss?” she quips. “My name is Rosalie. Not little Rose or Rose.”

“That’s not what I asked, little Rose.”

“My whereabouts are none of your business.”

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