Page 4 of Vengeance Becomes Her

“Am I a joke to you?” She gritted the words out, her anger and heartbreak threatening her composure.

He closed the distance between them and gently grabbed a section of her hair, stroking his long fingers across it.

She flinched against his touch.

Silas’ hand slid to the base of her neck, fisting her hair before she could move away.

“No, Rhia. You’re not a joke to me. I put in far too much work to attain you. You’re my future.” He pulled slightly, arching her head back so she had to look him in the eye. “I had to carefully control our every moment together, ensuring that I was your perfect man. That wasn’t easy. Despite your willingness to open up physically, you were much more difficult to access emotionally.” He dragged his nails through his hair in irritation. His behavior was erratic. He paused another moment in thought before abruptly beginning again. “It’s of no consequence now. It’s finally over. All of my efforts will finally pay off.”

Silas released his hold abruptly, jerking her back.

Her thoughts spun, tripping over one another as she tried to make sense of what was happening. She was at a loss. Why spend all that time with her if he didn’t feel the same way? Why did he look at her with such adoration? Why did he touch her, kiss her, hold her the way he did? How could it have all been carefully devised manipulation?

It didn’t matter how they’d ended up at this point. Silas didn’t love her. He didn’t love her and the way he was looking at her was terrifying.

Silas slowly prowled toward her. Rhiannon had nowhere to go, she was backed into the wall. He was a predator ready to strike and she was the prey that was too shocked and afraid to protect herself. Even as her instincts screamed at her to run or fight back, she stood frozen in place.

Silas’ voice was strong as he spoke, no sign of regret or concern for her feelings. She shouldn’t have been surprised, but still, it came as another lash against her failing composure.

“Many months ago, you asked why I was here. And while I told you the truth, in that I was here looking for someone, I couldn’t tell youwhoI was looking for or why.”

His eyes took on a vacant quality as he was mentally taken elsewhere.

“I was only supposed to be passing through for the night. I was at the tavern because I needed a decent meal before bed, but then I saw you and I knew you were just what I was looking for. The way everyone’s eyes seemed to follow you throughout the room and the way so many of them seemed to be clamoring for a little piece of you. And in return, you blossomed under their attention and affection—doling out touches, laughs, and flirtation to keep them within your orbit. The way you manipulate the exchange of power between yourself and men is truly an art form.”

Rhiannon bit her lip, frustration building under his unfair assessment and insinuations.

“It wasn’t just that though. It was the confidence with which you did it. The belief that you were undoubtedly worthy of their adoration. As if you had every right to do as you wanted with whoever you pleased. No qualms about what a lady should be, no regard for who was watching, like the rules didn’t apply to you. That’s no small thing. You own yourselfand your life.”

Silas took her jaw in a tight grasp forcing her to look into his eyes.“Unfortunately, while you were basking in their attention, you drew mine too.” He was beaming with excitement over a triumph she had yet to fully understand.

“But why?”

“That power within you and the satisfaction of taking it from you, well, it was simply too good an opportunity to resist. But it is all means to a greater end. You’ll see.”

The cruelty with which he spoke, the quickness with which he ripped the stability she had found within him from under her feet, it was too much to wrap her mind around in the few minutes that had passed since she said those three forsaken words.

He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked deep into her eyes. “I’m here for one thing and one thing only. And now, I will take it. Goodbye, Rhiannon.”

He leaned back abruptly, setting her even more on edge, yet he took his time rolling up his sleeves in precise folds. One moment he was posturing his hand into a twisting grip, directly across from her heart, and the next, she felt a lurch within her chest.She didn’t know what he was doing, but it was unbearably painful.

It was fast and hard. It felt like her heart suddenly had a rope tightening and tugging around it. It squeezed harder and harder, pulling deeply and slowing the beat. Her chest caved as she gasped for breath.

“Stop.” She managed to croak out. Tears welled up in her eyes at the pain that was overwhelming her. She felt like her very life force was leaving her body, beingdrained slowly.

“What’s happening? Make it stop, please. I’ll give you whatever you want.”

He leaned close, the left side of his mouth rising into a smirk. “You already have.”

His words barely registered as the peripherals of her vision began to go black.A coldness had crept into her very core, her muscles had grown weak, and thefight left her.

The last thing Rhiannon saw before she collapsed was roiling black smoke emanating from him.

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