Page 57 of Blood and Ruin: The Complete Series

“What are you doing sneaking about?” His hand tightens painfully.

“I wasn’t sneaking anywhere, I live here.” I blink up at him, wearing my doe eyed look.

“I think I would remember having a roommate like you.” His smirk holds no amusement.

His eyes travel down my body, dilating the more he stares, making my stomach churn.

“I live in the hotel; I assumed no area was off limits. I’ll know better for future reference.” I try to pull free, but his tight grip holds me still.

“Oh, I couldn’t have that now, could I? After all, you said it yourself. This is your home.”

This would never be my home, but I wasn’t about to correct him on specifics now.

As he reaches his hand towards my face, I cringe back slightly, his tight hold not letting me move far.

Pulling me closer, he runs his thumb down the side of my face. “Now. Are you going to tell me what you’re really doing here?”

I push down my revulsion towards his touch and give him an innocent look. “I was going for a walk. I didn’t realise this side was off limits.”

“How did you get past the door security?”

I continue my doe-eyed look. “Security? I didn’t know there was any.”

“I said how!” he growls out. I wince at his biting grip.

“I just walked in. As I said, I didn’t see any of your men.” Not a lie. Well, not wholly. Using the service entrance and fire-shoot bypassed most of them.

He narrows his eyes on me before zooming in on his men. “That so?”

His men shift awkwardly, avoiding his gaze. I feel a moment of guilt for throwing them under the bus, but then remember they’re all sick and twisted anyway.

I needed to get the hell out of here and fast.

“Maybe they were taking a break?” I ask innocently.

Kaladar growls dismissing his men. “I’ll deal with you all later.”

Kaladar turns his attention back to me. “You’re King’s girl, aren’t you? The one he parades about.”

I keep my mouth shut, not telling him I’m nothing to King.

He takes a piece of my dark hair, twirling a finger around it before yanking it hard making me wince.

“He told me all about you. He said that you can heal from almost anything?”

Looking me over, I stay silent. It’s no secret that I can heal, not among King’s trusted men.

“Is that true?”

His beady eyes trail down my body as he tuts. “The things I could do to you.”

He licks his lips, continuing his perusal. “I hate it when they break so easily, but you won’t, will you?”

I ignore him, giving him a look of disgust before turning away and trying to take my arm with me.

He pulls me back, grabbing my chin and forcing me to look at him. “Maybe I’ll ask King for some alone time with you.”

I hold back my revulsion at his words, knowing every one of them to be true.

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