Page 143 of Kiss the Villain

“Yeah, right.”

“I’m serious. Your presence is important to me.”

He swallows hard, his throat working as his eyes meet mine. “How important?”

“Important enough that the last three days were hell without you. Are you going to tell me why you disappeared?”

“It’s nothing,” he says, his gaze drifting back to the ceiling.

“What did I say about communication?”

“Do I have to tell you everything?”

“Yes.”

He remains silent, frowning slightly.

“I’m waiting, Gareth,” I say firmly.

After a long pause, he mutters, “If you must know, I didn’t like Yulian throwing himself all over you.”

“Yulian?”

“Yes,Yulian,” he snaps. “The one you went crazy over the first time we met. Did you have a crush on him or something?”

“No. And I didn’t go crazy because of him.”

“Then why?”

“Your actions. It didn’t matter who was on the receiving end—I would’ve acted the same.”

“Countering assault with assault? Seriously?”

“Not something I’m proud of, but we were both equally fucked up. Weareboth equally fucked up.”

He’s silent for a moment, his fingers absently stroking my arm.

“I’m not offering excuses for your actions, and it’s not like I was that innocent anyway, but I liked that.” He closes his eyes, his lashes fluttering on his cheeks. “From the start, I think I enjoyed how you dominated me and gave me no way out.”

My chest tightens as he turns his head toward me, his forehead almost touching mine.

I think he’s fallen asleep, but then he whispers, “I don’t believe I would’ve ever discovered that part of myself if it weren’t for those encounters, so a part of me is grateful. The other part would still stab you, though.”

A laugh leaves me, but it’s cut short when he opens those green eyes. They’re dark, as if peering into my soul.

“I mean it, Kayde. You betray me or put your dick somewhere it shouldn’t be, I’ll rip your heart out and watch you bleed out. I’m that brand of crazy, so don’t test me.”

“I’m that brand of crazy, too. So let’s not test each other. Deal?”

“Deal.”

“And, Gareth?”

“Hmm.”

“You’ll communicate properly from here on out. I will not stand for these tantrums in the future. Are we clear?”

“Okay.” He swallows thickly, his eyes softening. “What’s your relationship with Yulian anyway?”

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