Page 22 of Ruthless Kings of Havoc

“Don’t tell me my Ruthless Queen is tired already,” he taunts breathlessly, sweat dripping off his face onto me. “We’ve only begun, Dolcezza.”

I smirk in annoyance. It gives me a bit of normalcy, despite that I feel as though my entire world is being flipped upside down. The crazy part of it all is I knew this would happen. I was confident that I’d not only be prepared but numb to whatever madness would be in store.

Yet that was a fucking lie.

“I’m not tired,” I huff, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t need a minute or two.

“If you had to choose between me and Ares, who would you choose?” Zander asks completely out of the blue.

I stare back at him for a hard minute.

“You already know the answer to that.”

“Yet I want to hear it from you, Sweet Dynamite.”

The joys of deja vu run through my body as this conversation marinates.

I don’t get why he’s bringing it up, but either this is a distraction, or something is bothering his pretty mind.

“You.”

“Me versus Aries.”

“Warren,” I correct since I’m not used to acknowledging Warren by his real name. “And I’d choose you.”

“Me and that betraying fucker.”

“If you’re thinking bringing that up is going to make my pussy flutter with your cock still inside me, I can confidently tell you no,” I say with a deadpan tone.

“Your anger is justified, but can you confidently tell me that the Ruthless Queen of Carnage didn’t try to picture a momentwith your Ruthless King?” he offers as his eyes darken. “Even if he betrayed you.”

I don’t say a word.

Neither does Zander.

We just stare at one another, as if we’ll spend the rest of the night in this tense silence.

“The Ruthless Queen of Carnage is dead,” I finally grumble. “I don’t want to be her anymore.” I can hear the truth in my spoken words. “I wasn’t destined to go this path. I wasn’t supposed to have sympathy for anyone. To think of giving another chance to someone who wished nothing but my demise… but…”

“But…”

I feel the way my teeth sink into my bottom lip while I look away.

But… I thought he deserved a chance for redemption.Doesn’t everyone?

“Evangeline.”

I return my eyes to Zander’s, seeing how they’ve softened immensely.

“Speak to me.” His eyes search mine.Begging not for my cooperation but for my submission.Zayn wants me to rely on him as a real person who loves another would.

It’s frightening.

My arms reach up to wrap around Zander's neck, pulling him down until I only need to care about the immense warmth his chiseled body delivers against my flesh. It’s like being wrapped in a weighted blanket. The palpable comfort and layer of protection you can feel from someone who’s just as vulnerable as you.

That’s why it feels okay to be this vulnerable with Zayn because deep down, I feel as if I’m the only one he’d ever be this vulnerable with in return.

“When I look at you, I see nothing but confidence. From day one, when you act intuitively, there’s not an ounce of regret. You act like a leader who can command a fleet into the heart of war. I noticed that the moment you tried to hit me with a knife.”

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