Page 122 of Thorns of Malice

My heart soars and then a tree branch hits the window, tearing me out of my happy place and returning to my angry one.

Don't fall for it again.

I push him away, sitting up. "Don't you dare, Dax Carrington!"

Shocked, he says, "Don't look at me like that when I tell you I love you."

I scoff. "I know what you mean when you say you love me."

He leers at me. "Yeah? What exactly do you think I mean?"

My lips quiver. "It means you get exactly what you need for the minute. I give you my heart, and you slice it with a razor!"

He runs his hand through his hair, insisting, "I love you, baby girl. As fucked-up as it is, I loved you back then. And I'm not making excuses, but I'm no longer that guy."

"Sure, you aren't," I say, jumping off the counter.

"I've changed. And I won't stop telling you I love you, because I do."

I laugh, then shake my head. "I don't think you know what love is, Dax."

More hurt fills his expression. He declares, "I do. I'm going to prove it to you. Everything I'm doing is for you."

"For me? Hurting Matt and those other victims was for me?"

"Yes!"

I gape at him.

He shakes his head and scrubs his face. "I'm sorry Matt got hurt. Truly, I am. But I'm taking everyone down foryou."

I lift my chin and square my shoulders. "I can get revenge on my own."

"No, you can't."

"I can!"

"No matter what you tell yourself, you aren't like us, Ivy."

The hurt eighteen-year-old who wanted to fit in and was told by Dax she never would, resurfaces. I seethe, "You don't know who I am anymore!"

"I do! And it's impossible for you to punish them. No matter how you try, you won't. You're not a bad seed, gorgeous. You don't have sharp thorns ready to prick all of them until they're bleeding to death. The only person you can do that to is me."

I stare at him, my mouth open, chest tightening.

He softens his tone. "You can't honestly tell me you believe I never loved you."

I stay silent, my heart and brain fighting against the other.

He steps closer, placing his hand on my cheek. "You do believe me. Deep down, you know I love you."

The pain is too real. I sigh. "I don't know what to believe, Dax. I thought I did, but I don't."

"I love you, baby girl." He kisses me.

It's all too intense. I retreat from him and grab up my pants. I go into the bedroom, sit on the mattress, and put them on.

Dax enters the room. He orders, "Tell me you're never going to see him or anyone else again."

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