Page 21 of Darkest Deception

“I just can’t seem to stay away from you.”

Her eyes blaze at this comment. Not in a good way. She looks ready to murder me with her sharp claws. I can still feel the sting from the other day when she dug them into my neck. Another surprise.

“Would you stop interrupting me?” she snaps. Her jaw tics, and the vein on the side of her porcelain neck throbs angrily. She’s a volcano about two seconds away from erupting.

“No,” I grunt with a huff.

Her eyes move to Blaze, who sits silent and foreboding on my shoulder. The moment Ambrose notices him, her eyes widen. I’m not sure if it’s in fear, astonishment, or just absolute confusion.

“Admit it. You’re happy to see me.” I smirk, knowing full well she hates the mere sight of me. She would rather make me choke on the papers in her hand, smash my head against the nearest wall, and watch with a sadistic smile than actually be happy in my presence.

And yet there is a magnetic force about her. How else would I explain this odd zap whenever we accidentally touch? With every passing moment, with every glance at her, there is this need, this desire, to feel her skin. Be it a mere touch to feel her cold skin burn against my warmth or to just have her in my sight.

I need her to always be in front of me.

“You are a piece of shit,”

I laugh harder.

Her eyes move to Blaze once more…

“Stealing animals doesn’t seem like your type of hobby,” Ambrose mutters, looking at Blaze every couple of seconds.

She scrunches her nose, but her eyes stay wide and soft.

Ambrose tentatively reaches out to pet Blaze, and I am frozen in place. I just stare. Like an idiot.

The world fades. Nothing is in focus anymore except Ambrose.

Blaze caws in surprise, tilting his head at me, as if asking permission. Then he hops forward and settles on Ambrose’s shoulder. She gasps, turning her head to look at him.

And I am still fucking frozen, as if I just witnessed something life altering.

“Why are you with this guy? I want to take you home with me and save you from him. He is really mean to me. Does he know you hide food from him? I know you do. I bet it’s in a secret place.”

I finally blink out of my frozen state.

Blaze caws like he understands what she just said.

“I wondered where the extra food went,” I say.

Ambrose doesn’t look my way or acknowledge me. And now I want her to. I want her to look at me like she looks at Blaze. I want to know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of it. And that thought is terrifying. I should be focusing on breaking this woman, not wanting her to look at me with wonder.

Ripping my eyes away from her, I step away and open the accountant’s office door into her. She glares at me.

“Let’s go, Blaze. If you’ll excuse me, some of us have things to do.” I walk inside without looking back, but I can very much feel her narrowed, angry eyes on the back of my head. Blaze caws faintly once more, then lands on my shoulder.

“You’re not the only one who has shit to do, Helia. You—”

The door shuts behind me, and the man behind the desk rises from his chair.

His eyes go straight to my scar, and all the amusement drains from me.

He keeps staring, and I want to gouge his eyes out.

He clears his throat and nods at the seat before his desk. “Let’s get started, Mr Nashwood. I have been given an idea of what you need from Mr Cainn. Could you tell me exactly how much money we are working with?”

I let my eyes go over the room before I roam around it, touching any place where there could be cameras or recording devices.

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