Page 30 of Theirs to Rule

"Because I’ve been distracted by you, Rebel,” he shot back.

“No, you don’t get to just play this off! You’re engaged! And your mother – the way she talked to me…”

“Hear me out..."

“Here you out?” I repeated with a laugh. “So you can lie to me again?”

He stood and took a step towards me, the electricity crackling between us. I didn’t move. I wasn’t going to let him intimidate me.

“You told me you loved me,” he reminded me. “I don’t get a chance to plead my case before you judge me?”

“I said that before I knew you were lying to me.”

“I never lied to you,” he growled. “I just left some things out?—”

“Like there’s a difference,” I exploded. “You’re fucking engaged!”

Kage’s features darkened. “It’s not like that?—"

“Oh, so you mean you’re not engaged?” I said, sarcasm dripping off my voice.

“You know damn well things aren’t that simple, not in our world,” he growled. “Shit!” He sat down again and dropped his face into his hands.

I watched him, wanting to go to him so badly. But I didn’t.

He’d fooled me once by acting like he cared. He wasn’t fooling me again.

Chapter 15

Camille

Icontinued to glare at Kage as he lifted his face and rested his elbows on his knees. "Before my dad died, he made it clear I needed to be married to take my place as head of the family. To ensure this, he set me up to marry the daughter of a rival to unite our families."

"So, it’s a political marriage?" I whispered, my voice hollow.

"Yes," he confirmed, his gaze steady on mine. "The wedding is planned for after I graduate. If I don't marry Daniella, it could start a war. I don't want this marriage, Camille, but I can't be the reason my father's legacy crumbles or people die unnecessarily."

Anger and hurt warred within me, his words a bitter pill. "So, what? I'm just supposed to accept that?"

Kage's expression hardened. "It's not about what we want. It's about duty, about preventing bloodshed. God knows we’ve all done shit we don’t want to for the sake of our family...”

I stared at the ground. Despite the anger coursing through me, a part of me understood the weight of the burden he carried. But understanding doesn’t always mean acceptance.

“This…us,” Kage began. “It was never supposed to be forever, Rebel. We were having fun, remember?”

I raised my head. “I know that,” I shot back, swallowing the lump that had formed in my throat. “But you should have told me about her before I fell in love with you.”

“I didn’t think you would love me,” he replied, his voice hollow.

I almost laughed. “You didn’t think I would love you?” I replied, tossing my arms in the air. “After...after everything we shared, you didn’t think I would fall for you? When you treated me like nobody else ever has before? How could I not fall in love with you, Kage? You knew what you were doing...”

“It’s not like that,” he muttered. “We’re from different worlds.”

“Right. No room for a mafia man to fall in love or God forbid, be monogamous. So that’s it. I can’t do this anymore, Kage. I can’t be with you anymore knowing we have an expiration date. You need to let me go,” I said, my voice breaking as tears threatened to flow.

“That’s not happening.” He stood, strode toward me, and gripped my chin, lifting my gaze to meet his. “You promised me until graduation, so that’s what I’m taking.

He wasn't going to accept what I was saying, no matter how many times I said it, so why bother. "I'll consider what you're saying," I lied. "But only if you go back to the hospital."