Page 101 of Us Dark Few

Her brows pulled together as he clutched his ribcage and turned away to hide the pained tears in his eyes.

Contacting Hermes might not be enough.

They needed to escape Braderhelm.

Khalani passed her cell as she headed toward the pit, trying to figure out how the impossible could become possible when an untamable voice sounded behind her.

“Kanes.”

The deep resonance in the masculine tone made her breath hitch, jolting her heart into overdrive. Khalani slowly turned and her pulse quickened when a familiar shadowy gaze connected with hers.

Takeshi stood a few feet away, his muscular arms crossed over his chest. His eyes traced every inch of her, lingering on the bruises around her eye and the cuts on her lip. His gaze was physical, like fingertips caressing over each focal point.

Khalani’s hands instinctively tucked her hair behind her ears, acutely aware of her disheveled appearance. Strands of her messy bun were frizzy, sticking out in every direction. Sweat trickled down her neck, and her uniform was stained with dust and soot.

“Look at you, Kanes.”

His words from that fateful morning sliced her anew. It was easier to focus on the worst of him rather than the way he stared at her in the pit, or the tender words exchanged in the safety of his bedroom.

Good or bad weren’t apt descriptions for Takeshi. He was the warmth of the fire and the sadistic burn of the flames.

Men like him should come with a warning sign.

“What do you want?” She crossed her arms.

He took a few steps toward her.Slow. Predatory. The black uniform clung to his broad shoulders, weapons concealed except for the sharp blade clipped to his belt.

His handsome face was calm and composed, but when Takeshi’s scalding eyes met hers, the dangerous temptation of him made her muscles tingle, preparing to run away.

Or take one step closer.

“I’ve been thinking,” he stated.

“Careful. Too much of that will hurt you.”

“Since when did either of us ever mind the pain?” Takeshi’s eyes glinted in challenge.

“I can punch you in the face to test the limits of that theory.”

“Go ahead. But I choose the punishment if you miss.”

She huffed, fully convinced that Takeshi was put on this earth just to spite her. Storming through her life, breaking down her walls, only to survey how she reassembled the pieces.

“Am I in your way or something?”

“Depends.” He leaned closer, his large body enveloping her vision. “Barron’s dead. You decisively won your fight in the pit. It would seem as if you’re done with training.”

“It would seem that way.”

“Unless you wanted one more round against your main enemy.” Takeshi subtly cocked his head to the side with that daring look, eyes locked on her every movement.

At that point, her heart was conducting a drum competition in her chest. His deep gaze searched hers, and her fingers curled as if electricity tingled down her bloodstream.

Around Takeshi, she was a live wire, a ticking time bomb with his finger held over the trigger. His words sank deep into her gut. And the way her stomach fluttered, like a naïve, stupid child, only made her want to hurt both of them in retaliation.

“I thought you didn’t want to be around me anymore. You made that perfectly clear to me in your room.”

Takeshi’s jaw tightened. “I know what I said and won’t apologize for it.”

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