Page 9 of Some Like it Violent

And then he piled food on both plates before taking the seat across from me. I’d never felt like my table was too small, but having him sit on the other side left no space to ignore his presence. Not that I could before he sat down.

Kane didn’t look at me, just picked up his fork and started eating as if this was a totally normal situation.

I looked down at my plate and murmured, “I’m not hungry.” My voice was barely above a whisper.

But Kane still didn’t look at me, let alone respond right away. He focused on eating, chewing slowly and swallowing deliberately before taking a long drink from his glass of water. Only then did he set his fork down and lift his eyes to mine.

“Evelina, eat,” he said, his tone unyielding. “I want to have a nice meal. Don’t make me tell you again.”

I swallowed hard and stared at the food, my stomach twisting into knots as I eyed the scrambled eggs, the two slices of bacon, and the piece of buttered toast that he cut diagonally into two triangles. I picked up my fork, speared some eggs, and forced a small bite into my mouth. Although I knew it was probably great, my fear made it taste like flavorless paste on my tongue.

I couldn’t enjoy it. Not with him sitting there, watching me like the fucking psychopath he was.

We ate in silence, with only the sound of our forks hitting the dishes. When he was finished, he pushed his empty plate away and leaned back in his chair. I glanced up from under my lashes, taking the cue from him being done that it was safe for me to abandon my plate as well.

He studied me for a moment before speaking, and I swore his words cut through the silence—and me—like a serrated knife.

“Thank you for the meal.”

I was taken aback by his graciousness. This man was thanking me for eating my food? The only reason he was even here was because he’d broken into my home and taken me hostage. I wanted to say so much, but I kept my mouth shut.

“I’d hoped you would try to leave,” he added.

I froze. There it was… the insanity that he masked well enough with pleasantries when it suited him.

“Excuse me?”Motherfucker. I left that last part out, of course.

He smirked. “Part of me wanted to see you try to run.” His voice was almost thoughtful. “I wanted you to gather that fire I see in your eyes right now and defy me. I wanted you to run, so I could chase you.”

Could he see how hard my pulse was beating at the image he put in my head with his honesty, pounding wildly against my skin right below my ear?

“I would have dragged you back and forced you to see that there’s no escape.” He leaned forward and braced his forearms on the table. “Submission. That’s what I want from you, Evelina.” And then he grinned, a full-blown smile that showed me that crazy, shark-like expression that only insane people have. “I want to see you break. To see you realize that fighting me is useless and that giving in to me is the only thing that you actually want.”

The room felt colder, especially with his calm delivery of wanting to break me down until I was nothing but a vessel who clung to him.

He didn’t know who I was, what I was capable of. I might just seem like this weak, vulnerable female to him, but I wouldn’t go down without a fight.

My hands trembled, and I tightened them into fists in my lap, my nails digging into my palms. It didn’t help in trying to steady my nerves.

“You don’t have to fight me, Evelina.” This low, distorted sound left him right before he added, “I’ve been locked up for a long time.”

The underlying meaning of those words had my blood turning to ice.

“Just be a good girl and it’ll make this easier for the both of us.”

There was no escape—not now. Not yet. And Kane knew it. I narrowed my eyes on him, leaned forward, and held on to the last, lingering vestige of my strength and fire I had left. “Fuck. You. Kane.” I made sure I used his name. I wanted it to be intimate, personal.

He was frozen for a second, no expression on his face. Then he chuckled low and deep and leaned back in his chair. “Oh, you will, Evelina. I’ve decided you sure as hell will.”

He was playing a game, but he’d find out I wasn’t going to lose.

At least not without making him be the one to fight for the win.

6

KANE

It had been hours since I forced Evelina to eat with me. It was mainly to keep my eye on her. I wouldn’t put it past the little thing to go for the cleaning supplies under the sink and try to poison me.

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