Page 3 of Vengeance Becomes Her

She had experienced young love, that free-falling, exciting, and boundless infatuation that feels magical when you’re still so unburdened by the world. But this was something else entirely. It had snuck up on her unexpectedly. She didn’t even notice it happening. It went from lust to infatuation, to love in what felt like a blink of an eye. In just a few months, she went from the Black Oak Tavern’s resident flirt to the doting woman who would rather lay in his arms by the fire as they read and drank wine. It was surreal how love could blind people to change. She wasn’t complaining though.

It was like Silas could read her mind as his eyes flicked up from his journal, his hand stilling as he watched her curiously. A slow smile broadened across his face. It made her wonder if she’d spoken aloud by accident. Or maybe her thoughts were written all over her face. Rhiannon wasn’t good at concealing her emotions.

Either way, she didn’t care. They were both adults and they had been nearly inseparable for months now. She had nothing to be embarrassed or hesitant about. Surely if she felt this way, he must too. She wasn’t one to get attached to people when they didn’t reciprocate her affections. Or at all truly. For years, she had been casually flitting from one romantic interest to another with no dramatic endings or tangled feelings, just excitement and easy encounters. But this feeling went far beyond what she’d experienced before or even what she had expected love to feel like.

The realization could have been enough to crush her, to suffocate her. But it made her feel light and elated. She was sure of her decision.

She turned quickly toward him, deciding to take action before she could lose her nerve. The sudden movement caused her to lose her balance. She tripped forward, gripping the bedpost to catch herself. An uncharacteristically nervous laugh escaped her lips as she wiped her clammy hands on her skirt.

Silas sat up. His eyes carefully scanned her features. He was assessing her in that calculating way of his. He didn’t like being surprised.

“Is everything alright?” He asked, barely suppressing a laugh as he crooked his finger, beckoning her forward. A silent command she was neverable to resist.

She nodded, her feet shuffling forward without thought.

He rose from the bed in an effortless movement—carefully avoiding the sheer black fabric that hung from the intricately carved columns—and took a step toward her. His hands rested on the full curves of her hips. In a comforting gesture, he tilted his forehead down to meet hers.

“Rhia, come on. Tell me.” His voice was tight with concern.

“Everything is fine. Better than fine, actually.” This was it. This was the moment. She couldn’t wait any longer. “I have something I need to tell you…want to tell you.”

She paused, trying to gauge his reaction. His shoulders rolled back and his jaw tightened in anticipation.

At the sight of his discomfort, the words tumbled out of her. “Silas, I’m in love with you. What I mean to say is, I love you.”

As soon as the words left her lips, everything changed. Any warmth in his features was snuffed out and that cold facade he showed the rest of the world slipped over like a second skin. He shifted away, his body no longer an anchor for her to lean on.A physical and emotional barrier abruptly erected between them.

His features morphed into something menacing, nothing like the man who was standing here holding her and inquiring about her well-being moments ago. A triumphant, wicked smile crawled across his face. He said nothing. Those once consoling eyes were now darkened with an unfamiliar danger. The lack of affection she found there was a unique brand of cruelty. His hands gripped her waist tightly, fingernails pressing into the sensitive flesh.

She couldn’t find her breath as she took in histransformation.

“Silas, what’s wrong?” She managed, barely a whisper.

He laughed, an edge to it that she had never heard before. She pulled out of his grip.

“It gets easier every time.” He shook his head. “Give a woman a little attention, whisper things in her ear, show her affection, flaunt your status, and she’ll serve herself up on a silver platter. It’s pathetic,” he spat out.

It was as if his words were carefully chosen to strike at her worst fears.

“You’re all the same. Women like you think they’re a prize that needs to be won. You think you should never settle, that you deserve the very best when you bring nothing but yourself to the table. You parade yourself around—letting men lavish you with affection while vying for your attention—sharing yourself with whoever you please. All the while, you’re waiting for the next best thing to come along. Someone more handsome. Someone with more money. Someone with greater status.” He let out a humorless laugh. “I hate to break it to you, but you bet wrong. You thought you’d won the game, but you were simply too arrogant to see past my bluff.”

Rhiannon backed away from him, needing distance withnowhere to go.

Silas stopped his rant to scoff at her. “You brought this on yourself, Rhia. There’s no escaping it.”

“I don’t understand. I thought…” she shook her head in disbelief. “I thoughtyou wanted me.”

“Oh, I know you did. The way you let me into your bed so easily like some tavern whore. I knew you would be easy prey the moment I set eyes on you. You were so satisfied by getting my attention that you didn’t even stop to questionmy intentions.”

The words bit into her, jarring and harsh like the lash of a belt. She stared at him, her eyes wide and tears fighting to break free. She ground her teeth painfully to stop them. She would not let them fall.

This was not the reaction she had expected. She could never have anticipated this; it far surpassed even her deepest doubts and fears. But she would not allow him to witness how much his rejectiontore her apart.

“What are you saying? Why are you acting like none of this was real.” She was trembling slightly, so she curled her hands into fists at her sides.

His eyes locked on her, that wicked grin still firmly planted on his face. It might have even grown wider as she became morevisibly upset.

“Because it wasn’t. Every moment has been meticulously planned, coaxed by my careful manipulation, to bring you to this point. To make you as vulnerable as possible.”

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