Page 17 of Luciano

“I can give you time to process. And sit quietly while you do.”

“Could you just leave?” she hissed.

“No,” I shook my head. “I don’t want to. I enjoy being in your company, no matter how hostile. And I’m not a man that does things he doesn’t want to do.”

“Why would you want someone here who hates you?”

“The hate will bind us,” I rebutted.

“What does that even mean?”

“Emotions like love and hate—they run on the same circuitry. They are produced by the same chemicals. But both tie people together. Eventually, you’ll confuse the two if I live up to my end of our bargain.”

Her jaw tightened, and she turned her face away, refusing to look at me. I could feel the anger radiating from her. I wasn’t bothered. She was frustrated with me, which was understandable.

Chapter 9

Ava

For six hours, he sat across from the bed I was in, not saying a single word, just staring at me. It was unnerving as hell. He was fucking nuts. I’d tried ignoring him, tried focusing on anything else, but the intensity of his stare made my skin feel too hot. I knew it was irrational, but he had me feeling as if he could see every thought I was trying to suppress, every ounce of fear I refused to show.

I finally broke the silence, unable to take it anymore.

“I’m usually good at getting myself out of bad situations,” I said, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to steady it. “My daddy taught me to face danger head-on and never show weakness. My momma taught me to be seen but not heard, to keep my emotions locked away.”

He didn’t move, didn’t even shift in his seat. He just kept staring, his expression unreadable. I kept talking, the words spilling out like I couldn’t stop them.

“I survived living with your father. I was filled with rage and sadness every damn day in this house, and not once did I flinch. I learned how to bury it all deep down, to smile when I needed to and stay silent when I had to. I never let it break me.”

My gaze flickered to his, and I felt my resolve waver.

“I can’t with you,” I admitted, my voice barely a whisper now. “You’re not like your father. It’s like you’re not even trying to scare me—you’re just being you, and that’s fucking terrifying. Because I really do think there’s no escaping you unless you let me.”

He was silent, still unmoving.

“Tell me how to get out of this,” I pleaded finally, my voice breaking. “Tell me what it’ll take for you to let me go.”

He leaned forward slowly, his eyes never leaving mine. Finally, he spoke.

“There is no way out,” he said, his voice low, almost gentle, like he was explaining something to a child. “I want everything you are, Ava. All your rage, your pain, your desire. There’s no deal to make, no compromise.”

He picked up his glasses from the side table, slowly wiping the lenses with a handkerchief. It seemed like a practiced gesture, and it made me think he didn’t even need them to see. Like it was an act to make him appear normal.

“I want to share everything with you, Ava,” he continued, placing the glasses back on his face. “Your body, your thoughts, your dreams. I want to be the center of your world, and you’ll be mine. You’ll be my death, and I’ll be your Thanos.”

My confusion deepened.

“What? You’ll be my what?” I asked, my forehead creasing in disbelief.

He looked at me like I was an idiot.

“Thanos. You know, from the movie? The villain who believes he’s saving the universe, even if it means destroying half of it. Inthe comic books, he’s in love with Death and willing to destroy the world for her.”

I stared at him, completely at a loss for words. He was comparing himself to a literal supervillain, and the worst part was, he seemed to mean it. His tone was honest, even affectionate.

I opened my mouth, then closed it again, unable to figure out how to respond to that level of crazy. I rubbed my temples, trying to ease the tension building behind my eyes.

“Can I go pee and shower? I have someone else’s blood and guts on me,” I finally asked.

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