Page 83 of Viparious

It’s a lie, we both know it is. Verena was still growing inside of me, and I couldn’t do anything to protect her. I couldn’t fight Len off, I couldn’t control the bleeding, I couldn’t do the one job I had. My wrists fall limply to my sides and warm hands cup my face. Icy eyes invade my vision as Vlad lines them up with mine. There’s sincerity in his voice and staring into me.

“You’re right, meelaya. It wasn’t your fault. You are mine, so it is my responsibility to protect you.”

“Fuck you. I told you I refuse to be your mistress. That includes the woman haunting you.”

His thumbs begin tapping against my cheeks beside my nose and he bites out, “There is no other fucking woman.”

I plant my feet as rage consumes me. He’s trying to scream over facts when it’s clear and I push all of my weight behind my hands into his chest. He rocks slightly, dragging me with him and I seethe, “Yes, there fucking is. Otherwise, you would tell me who Vanya is.” His hands turn cold, and the alien vulnerability re-enters his eyes. “You wouldn’t hide and answer the fucking phone because of her while you were stillinsideme.”

His fingers tighten against my cheeks, the heel of his palms pushing under my jaw as I continue with the emotion bleeding out of me.

“I’m sorry you lost someone you love, but I’m not apologizing for the fact it broke my heart.”

It was recent, he made me into the other woman and that’s why he left me. He left me to go to her because his sadistic cunt of a father killed her while he was fucking me. The anger radiating off him isn’t controlled, it’s volatile, mixing with his grief as he holds my jaw and begs, “Don’t. Do not even think it or say it.”

I have even more questions. None of it makes sense. Not his deep grief when he looks like he’s on the verge of throwing up at the thought of fucking the woman he loves, not the lost look in his eyes as he silently pleads with me and he stares between each of my eyes.

The desolation playing out in his irises is blanketed by his eyelids as he closes his eyes and rests his forehead on mine. His voice lowers as he repeats, “Don’t.”

This close, I’m able to pick up his mumbling as he incessantly taps against his thigh.

“Blue, so much blue.”

The tapping increases, there’s barely a pause between each of the digits and I remain frozen to the spot.

I hate myself more than I hate Vlad. I keep giving into him and I do the same now as I hold his sides. Softening my voice, I ask for the truth, yet again, showing how pathetic I am.

“Talk to me.”

I want him to be happy. My stupid, mature fucking brain doesn’t align with my bitter heart. He refuses them both as his eyes snap open and he gives me an order.

“You’re staying here until I find you somewhere safe. Try to fucking leave, and I’ll lock you inside.”

He’s actually insane. It makes me laugh because there’s clearly been no thought put into his plan.

“Try it. I’ll burn your fucking house down if I have to.” My hands don’t leave his skin despite the next words on my tongue. “Now, get the fuck out of my way so I can pack.”

He lets go of my face and takes a step back. I’m winning, yet it hurts. Fucking asshole, even in this, he takes control and ruins it. I have to force my arms to move so I’m no longer touching him as I step to the side. Our shoulders don’t even line up when he dips down, banding his arm around my knees and lifts me off my feet.

He throws me over his shoulder so fast it knocks the air out of me.There’s no clothing on his body for me to hold for support other than the towel and my brain acts on instinct.

I grab the towel to steady myself. It’s the wrong thing to do because it falls to the floor, and I close my eyes. If I see him fully naked, I’ll lose some of my resolve. His deep voice shakes my thighs against his chest as he walks towards the empty rooms set up on the other side of the elevator.

“You’re not taking anything because you’re not fucking leaving.”

My body becomes weightless as he throws me off his shoulder and I land on a bed with a bounce.The guest room is one that’s never been used, and Vlad is larger when I blink. I don’t look down or move my hair out of my face as he stands fully naked, with the hallway light illuminating him from behind. He’s a menacing figure when he’s dressed as the gentleman, fully naked, with the moon casting an eerie glow to his skin as the light dims behind him, he’s worse and better. He slowly closes the door and I have the sense to push back, knowing I won’t survive if he touches me.

I’m not at risk from a violent hand, it’s the softness and how my body craves his. The handsome bastard stalks towards me. I’m moving too slowly as he takes two more steps and reaches me before I can get off the bed. His inked fingers wrap around my ankle as I attempt to kick against his chest, and he pulls me down the bed. I twist and attempt to grab anything to hold on to my sanity. He always lays waste to my thoughts when he touches me, and he wraps his other hand around my knee, his fingers digging into the back of the joint, stopping me from crawling forward.

I’m pinned on my back as he straddles my hips. My hands itch to touch him, to feel the way he unleashes the power inside of him and allows me the lie of believing it belongs to me too. But he stops me from giving in while taunting me as his biceps flex and he pins my wrists above my head. The silver moonlight highlights each contour, each small group of muscle that I want to sink my teeth into, and the divot above his elbow I want to trace with my tongue.

He leans over me, and I bite back a moan as his muscles flex further and he starts dictating.

“You’re not leaving, it’s not safe.”

He should work for Homeland Security with his fucking speeches on safety all the time. A bitter laugh leaves me, wanting him to hurt like I am.

“Why? Has your father come back to life?”

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