Page 24 of Primal

I don’t know what kind of answer I was expecting, but it wasn’t that.

“You know, you’re not the only one who likes to stalk,” I say, tilting my head innocently.

He seems amused now. “Oh?”

“Zyran Rivera—no middle name. Born in San Diego on June 23rd, 2002 to Tracy McEwan and Juan Rivera. Your mom is from New Hampshire, and your dad was born in Puerto Rico. He and his family emigrated here to the States when he was sixteen. He died last year.”

I expect some kind of reaction at the mention of his father’s passing, but instead, he nods appreciatively. “So the obsession isn’t one-sided, then.”

I shake my head. “No. You’ve made it kind of hard not to be obsessed with you.”

The two of us stand there for so long, just staring at each other, that I almost forget what I’ve been wanting to do for the past three months.

“I’m tired of waiting, Kiara.” His impatient growl finally breaks the silence.

My fingernails dig painfully into my palms as I clench my fists. “So come here.”

Like an animal impatiently waiting for its food, he comes to me in two large strides and grabs my hips to pull me to him. I reach up to try to remove his mask, but he grips my wrist and places a soft kiss there.

Reaching behind me with my free hand, I grab the knife from the back pocket of my jeans and slash at his face.

The bastard is quicker than I thought and anticipates the blow. Ducking underneath the knife, he twists the arm he was holding until my back is to his front. I stomp on his booted feet to get him to let go, but his grip is like iron.

“Are you flirting with me, butterfly?” he asks, amusement dripping from his voice as I try to get him with the knife.

“Let me go!”

I rear my head back and catch his nose. He loses his grip on me and grunts in pain, stumbling backward until he’s leaning against the dining room table. I stalk toward him and try to stab him in the side, but his hand flies out and grips my wrist again. This time, he twists it painfully until I let go. The knife clatters onto the floor and fills the room with its jarring sound.

I cry out and cradle my wrist to my chest. Gritting my teeth, I lunge at him and try to claw at his face, but the mask makes it hard to puncture his skin.

As I start to dig my fingers into his eyes, Zyran wraps a hand around my throat and squeezes, instantly cutting off my air. My windpipe feels like it’s being crushed by the force of his grip.

I open my mouth to try to get some air, but he’s making it perfectly clear that he determines if and when I get to breathe. I panic when he lifts me off the floor.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” he asks darkly. I can just barely make out the blood trickling down to his eye.

I dig my fingers into his wrist until he growls again and lets me go. I fall to the floor heavily on my hands and knees, taking in heaving, gasping breaths.

When I’m able to compose myself, I stand on shaking legs and face him, still out of breath.

“Why are you upset with me?”

Despite the anger in his tone, his eyes are full of hurt, and I’d be lying if I said a part of me didn’t feel the least bit bad about trying to kill him.

“It’s your fault,” I blame him, pointing an accusatory finger at him. “You’re the reason Grandma died.”

The ice melts from his eyes, and his shoulders slump at my accusation. “I didn’t do anything to hurt her, Kiara.”

I shake my head and force the tears not to come. “If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have been in the forest that night, and she wouldn’t have woken up looking for me. She wouldn’t have called the police, and I wouldn’t have had to explain to her why I was wandering around trying to find my way home in the middle of the night and acting weird all the time.”

I rub a tired hand across my face and wipe away the tears I can’t hold back.

“You took her from me, and then you left,” I whisper, stepping closer to him. “Now I’m going to make you pay for it.”

Zyran doesn’t say anything for a moment, just stands there and stares at me as the blood continues to drip down to his mouth and soak into his mask.

Then, the corners of his eyes crinkle with delight, and when he laughs, I swear I see red.

---