Page 26 of Revenge

“You didn’t finish your steak,” Kai commented as Mrs Shelby cleared our plates.

“I’m quite full.”

“You’re a liar. You know there’s no dessert if you don’t finish your dinner,” Kai mocked.

Narrowing my eyes, I replied, “What am I? Ten?”

“You’re acting like you are,” he informed me with a glib look. He had a point.

“Would you like dessert? I remember you always had a sweet tooth.”

“No, thank you,” I replied.

“So polite all of a sudden.”

“I just don’t think it would mix well with the shit you pumped me full of.”

“Stop being so dramatic.” Dramatic? On what planet was sticking a syringe in an unconscious woman’s neck considered fine?

The dark stare Kai awarded me with could be felt through the back of my fucking skull and my temper flared but I bit my lip, knowing losing it would only make things worse. Kai exhaled and said, “Why don’t you get it off your chest, Ava?” I needed no other offer but my eyes glanced at the staff still in the room before looking back at Kai.

“I trust my staff implicitly. You can speak freely here.”

“Youdruggedme you swine,” I rasped.

Kai gave me a withering look, “Hardly. It was the mildest of sedatives.”

“If it was sobloodymild, why did it knock me out for half the day?” I pointed out, feeling pissed off that he acted like he’d done nothing wrong.

Kai clenched his teeth; his eyes sweeping over my body. “It was probably more potent due to your stomach being empty. Are you starving yourself on purpose?”

“Your company made me lose my appetite,” I replied truthfully.

Kai’s lip curled at that one, “You need to eat more if you plan on taking me on, Ava. You’re going to need all your strength. Plus, the skeletal look isn’t at all appealing.”

“There is no one in this place to appeal to and how dare you?” I snapped, playing with the edge of my top, feeling self-conscious without more covering.

His voice dipped to a scratchy whisper, giving me goosebumps, “I think you know I dare anything, Ava. I remember the lengths you used to go to, to appeal to me. Has so much changed in such a small amount of time?”

“Yes, I came to my senses.”

“We’ll see.”

Four

Ava

That comment hung between us like a warning of things to come, Kai’s fingersdrummingagainst the table. The whole situation was becoming more loaded by the minute, and the intensity of his gaze was unsettling.

Kai didn’t speak again until the room was empty of staff and the table had been cleared apart from our glasses.

“Well, what now?” I asked, attempting to relax in my seat.

Clearing his throat, Kai said something that surprised me, “Look. I apologise for the sedative. If I’d have known it would have affected you like that, I never would have given it to you.”

My mouth hinged open in shock, “You’re apologising to me?” My voice was high-pitched.

Kai shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

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