Page 78 of Ruthless Chaos
I cut off Keller before he can catch up to her. He almost collides with me but catches himself quickly. Even in these ridiculous clothes, I’m nimbler than he is.
Surprise flashes on his face briefly, then he smirks.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I say through gritted teeth.
Keller recoils in mock surprise.
“I ought to ask you the same thing.” His eyes narrow and his smile widens.
I want to slap that look off his face.
“This obsession you have with her, it won’t get you what you’re hoping it will.” I grind my teeth. My body tenses, and the muscles in my arms twitch. “Your actions can be seen as insubordinate.”
It’s almost as if he’s forgotten the power I hold as Head Kingmaker.
Keller laughs mirthlessly. “I know the rules. You haven’t finished claiming her. She isn’t wearing the necklace. Until she is, she’s fair game.” Then he adds, “Does she evenknowyou’ve chosen her?”
I’m on him in an instant.
Grabbing him by the collar, I shove him away from the prying eyes of the party. When we’re safely obscured by a thicket of willow trees, I tighten my grip on his neck.
Keller isn’t even struggling against my grip.
He only has his hands clasped around my wrists, grinning like a deranged fool.
I fail to see the fucking joke.
“Stay away from her, or I’ll make you regret it.” I’m seeing red, and I wish I could just snap his neck and get it over with. It would make everything so much easier.
Keller laughs, his eyes wide. “What are you going to do, Alex?” He’s struggling to form his words because of the grip I have on him, but he forces out the rest of this sentence. “Hire someone to kill me like your father did to your mother?”
My eyes widen, and I almost can’t believe what he’s said.
The anger rips through me. I don’t even try to control it.
I throw him to the cracked stone pavement, kicking him in the stomach.
He tries to scramble to his feet, so I kick him again.
“Keep my mother’s name out of your mouth,” I say, then punch him square in the mouth. The impact splits his lip, and blood starts to pour from it.
I drop my knee on his neck.
Keller is unfazed, even though I know he’s in pain. “She was my aunt,” he splutters. “Dating a Duke is a death sentence, and you know it. It’s why you haven’t claimed her.”
Those are the words that tip me over the edge.
There’s nothing quite as anger-inducing as hearing your own condemning thoughts from the lips of your sworn enemy.
Consequences be damned.
I’m going to fucking kill him.
I apply more pressure to my knee, cutting off his airflow.
He starts to struggle, but there’s no use as he’s far too dazed and weak to stop me.
With Keller out of the picture, my problems would be solved.
