Page 74 of When Day Breaks

"I'll let you go if you promise to leave them alone," he says.

"That's your deal?" I laugh. In what world would he think that I would feel giddy to jump on something so trivial in return for my freedom.

"You have my word," he replies with a serious undertone in his voice.

"Well, I will say it does sound enticing," I lie. "But I kind of want to break both of their necks right now so... " I trail off, grinning in the direction of my siblings who don't seem fazed by my threat.

"Then the deal is off, and you'll be down here until you have nothing left to give." He's seething. He wants me to so badly take this deal that it is actually precipitating anger in him.

It's laughable that he thinks I am capable of being brought back, that I'd even want to be brought back.

But it dawns on me that he only mentioned the two of them, and not him.

This could be fun.

“Fine," I say just as they all start to make exit for the room. "I'll take your stupid deal."

"If you break your word, neither one of us will hesitate to kill you," Travois threatens and I love his attempt to put me in my place.

"Don't threaten me with a good time," I quip as I focus back on my husband who walks up to me without hesitation and releases me from the chains.

That was easy.

I rub the raw skin of my wrists. "God, those chains were really starting to do a number on me." I grin. "Now, where were we? Oh yeah…"

I rush to Rivian, sinking my hands slowly into his chest for effect. The sound of his blood squelches against my skin as he lets me intrude his body.

"You bitch!" I hear Troian shout as she starts to approach me from behind.

"Stay back," I singsong. "Or I'll end him right fucking here." I smile as my husband looks deep into my eyes while I speak to my siblings.

"It's okay," he assures them.

"The deal was that I couldn't touchthem," I twist his heart in my hand. "You never said anything aboutyou."

"I know what I said." He grins at me, and a fire lights my veins. I like him when he's all vindictive and certain.

"So you wanted me to take you like this. A little dance of our own, up against the wall. You must like me like this." I let my words feather between us in a low whisper, flirting with the danger that ignites in the air.

"I do," he admits. "I like who you are when you're not an innocent daydreamer, hungry for blood and desperate for the darkness that rages in you. It turns me on." Something breaches my soul. I'm not sure how to explain it but it grates against my reprieve as I watch the sinister smile curl on his lips.

"But I could neverlovesomeone like you," he starts. Foreboding hugs the tension as my expression fades.

He shifts his chest closer to mine, forcing me to press harder against the cages of his heart while he continues, "I could never fall in love with a monster. Someone who takes and takes and takes. They have nothing to give." Rage builds in my core, surfing the lines of my reserve threatening to break me apart.

His words are laced with a savage intention to trip me up, but I won't let him by that easily.

"I can find plenty to give you," I squeeze his heart and clench my jaw. This is my game to play.

Something flips in his eyes, the blackhole taking over the whites in them as he burns them into my head. He speaks his next words with a layer of undeniable malice.

"Is that what your dad was thinking when he pushed you down and got on top of you?"

"What?" I feel a hypothetical punch to the gut, his words hitting me deeper than I expected.

"Did he plan to give or take?" he continues, and I feel a vehement desire to take his life right now.

How could he say those things?

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