Page 136 of Daddy Sees Snakes

The smell of his cologne—the one I used to love—now makes my stomach churn.

"Always with that smart mouth. But let me tell you something, Iris. Your little act doesn't work on me anymore."

I grip the edge of the bar, my knuckles turning white.

My heart is pounding so hard I'm sure he can hear it, but I force myself to maintain eye contact. "It's not an act, Lyon. I genuinely think you're pathetic. Now get the fuck out before I make you regret coming here."

The words leave my mouth before I can stop them, and I immediately wish I could take them back.

Lyon's face contorts with rage, and for a moment, I see the man behind the mask—the one I was always afraid of, even when we were together.

"Make me regret it?" he says, his voice low and dangerous. "Oh, sweetheart. The only one who's going to have regrets is you."

I barely have time to process his words before a searing pain explodes across my face.

The force of Lyon's backhand is so unexpected, so violent, that I lose my balance.

My feet tangle beneath me as I stumble backward, and suddenly I'm falling.

The impact with the floor knocks the wind out of me.

There's a sickening crack as my back hits the hard surface, and a white-hot agony rips through my spine.

I try to gasp, but my lungs won't cooperate.

Panic sets in as I struggle to breathe, my vision blurring at the edges.

What just happened?

This can't be real.

Lyon's an asshole, sure, but I never thought he’d put his hands on me again.

My scattered thoughts are interrupted as Lyon's face appears above me, his features twisted into something I barely recognize.

Gone is the man I once thought I loved.

In his place is a monster, eyes gleaming with a cruel satisfaction that chills me to my core.

He sneers, dropping to his knees beside me. "Not so cocky now, are you?"

I want to scream, to fight back, but my body won't respond.

The pain in my back is overwhelming, stealing what little breath I've managed to recover.

Lyon's hand shoots out, fingers wrapping around my throat with bruising force. "You dumb fucking cunt," he spits, his face inches from mine. "I'm going to make you wish you never fucking left."

His grip tightens, and true terror grips me as my airway closes off.

I claw weakly at his hand, but it's like trying to move a steel vise.

"You might not want me inside you," Lyon continues, his voice a low, menacing growl, "but I don't give a shit. I take what belongs to me, and you belong to me, you bitch."

Black spots dance in my vision as I desperately try to draw in air.

In this moment, all I can think about is Viper.

His smile, his laugh, the safety I felt in his arms just hours ago.

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