Page 16 of Us Dark Few

Despite her fear and loathing, Khalani made the snap decision to approach him. She needed little convincing to understand that being on Takeshi Steele’s bad side was detrimental.

If she wanted to survive, mediating the damage she’d done during their first conversation was imperative.

She ventured toward him, fingers fumbling together as anxiety shrouded her like a veil. He scrutinized her carefully, his body shifting against the wall in response.

Approaching him was either a brilliant decision or a seriously miscalculated move. With each step, Khalani fought the urge to turn around but continued her uneasy advance. She stopped a few feet away, not willing to veer any closer.

Takeshi stood still and composed, the dangerous threat never receding from his eyes as he assessed her with a scowl.

“Hi.” Her voice cracked. She cleared her throat and waited. And waited.

Takeshi didn’t respond, only continued to glower in annoyance. Raw tension brushed against every inch of her body as the awkward silence expanded.

“I wanted to apologize for what I said earlier,” she started.

“Is that so?”

She cleared her throat, his resonant voice a warning sign. Like a calm surface with a boiling current beneath.

“Yes. I’ve had a rough week. As you can imagine. I know you don’t care, but that is why I made some…illogical comments. It was not my intention to provoke or anger you.”

He tilted his head and studied her. For a brief, flickering moment of insanity, she thought he would accept her apology.

“Are you done?” he asked in a dispassionate tone.

And with that, her naïve optimism deflated like air being sucked from her body in a vacuum.

Her brows drew together. “Umm, y-yeah. Yes. I guess I’m done.”

Takeshi’s muscles held rigid in response as he glanced away, dismissing her.

“Okay.” She fumbled her hands by her side at the renewed silence, wanting to disappear and never be found again. “I hope that settles it. I’ll leave you to your…guarding.”

Khalani resisted the urge to slap apalm to her forehead. Next time she should just ask Takeshi Steele to shoot her. That would undoubtedly receive a better response.

“Don’t waste your timehopingfor things down here,” his intense voice echoed.

She turned back in surprise. Takeshi stood against the wall like an indomitable force. He was still. Too still.

“What, hoping is for the young?” she asked warily.

“No. Hoping is for the foolish. If your plan is to garner my sympathy to help your cause, you’ll be severely disappointed.” His black eyes skewered her.

“That wasn’t—I…I was trying to be nice,” she explained.

“And you expected me to be nice in return?”

“Yes. I don’t know. Maybe?”

Takeshi shook his head. “Being nice is a useless endeavor that will only bring unwanted attention. Something you appear to excel at.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I see everything.” His penetrative gaze flickered over her frame, unimpressed. “Sticking your neck out for a prisoner you don’t know. Idiotic.”

“I didn’t realize helping one another was taboo in Braderhelm.”

“Then you’re even more naïve than you look. Actions like that will only hasten your death.”

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