Page 29 of Ruthless Kings of Obsession

He tries to push off the pillar, to regain some control, but I'm beyond containment now. My body moves with fluid grace evenas tears blur my vision, even as my heart bleeds for my fallen King.

"But guess what, brother dear?" I laugh through my tears. "I'm not your pawn anymore. I'm the fucking Queen on this chessboard, and without me, you're nothing!"

I see the punch coming before he throws it – sloppy, desperate. Using his momentum against him, I duck under his arm and leap, wrapping my legs around his neck in a move Zander taught me. We crash to the ground, the impact jarring but not enough to break my hold.

"Fuck!" he chokes out as we hit the concrete, his head bouncing against the hard surface.

I maintain the chokehold with my thighs, reaching for Knifey with practiced ease. The blade gleams in the dim light as I press it against his throat, drawing a thin line of blood.

He grunts, eyes widening at the familiar weapon. "Should've... left that... fucking blade behind..."

"Oh?" I giggle, pressing harder. "You mean Knifey? My constant companion?" The blade catches the light, and I swear I can see Zander's reflection in its surface. "Knifey and I always find our way back to each other. You really should have known better than to leave it where I could reach it."

His face is turning red as he struggles against my hold, fingers clawing uselessly at my legs. "Eva... please..."

"Admit it," I hiss, leaning closer. "Admit what you did to him."

"N-no..."

I tighten my thighs around his neck, watching his eyes bulge. "ADMIT IT! Admit you killed him! Admit you murdered the only man who ever truly loved me!"

"I... can't..."

"You can and you will!" Tears fall onto his face, mixing with his blood. "Be the coward you are and CONFESS!"

His movements are getting weaker, his struggles less coordinated. I can see consciousness starting to slip away from him, his eyes rolling back.

"Last chance," I whisper, my voice breaking. "Admit you killed my King. Admit you murdered Zander Benedict in cold blood."

He makes a choking sound, his lips turning blue. Just when I think he's going to pass out without confessing, he manages to gasp out two words:

"I'm... sorry..."

The admission hits me like a physical blow, making my grip on Knifey waver. Sorry? After everything he's done, after taking away the one person who saw me – really saw me – he thinks 'sorry' is enough?

***"Kill him! Make him suffer like Zander suffered!"***

The voices scream for vengeance, but something holds me back. Maybe it's the look in his eyes – genuine remorse mixed with the same brokenness I see in my own reflection. Or maybe it's because deep down, I know this isn't what Zander would want.

*My sweet, psychotic King would want him to suffer longer.*

"Sorry isn't good enough," I whisper, but I loosen my hold just enough to let him take a desperate breath. "Sorry doesn't bring him back."

Domino coughs violently, his whole body shaking. "Then... what does?" he wheezes.

I lean down until my lips are next to his ear, my voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "You're about to find out."

The warehouse doors burst open with a thunderous crash, and a familiar voice rings out through the darkness:

"HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE THEM!"

*Right on schedule.*

False Red Flags

~DOMINO~

The warehouse floods with light as fifteen men in police uniforms burst through the doors, weapons raised and aimed in our direction. My throat burns as I desperately gulp for air, still recovering from Eva's deadly chokehold. Dark spots dance at the edges of my vision, but I force myself to focus through the disorientation.

---