Page 11 of The Heart of a Villain

He opens the door, grabs someone by the elbow, and my eyes widen and my jaw drops when he forcefully drags out a young woman.

She has a gag wrapped around her mouth, while her dark eyes shoot daggers his way as pure hate fills them. She has her hands tied behind her.

“Ah, my little dove. Did you miss me?” She huffs in exasperation and tries to kick him in the calf, but he steps back, making her miss. “Careful, my love. Otherwise, you might spend the night like this.” He leans closer, their noses inches apart as she breathes heavily. “Not that I would mind. After all, it might be very entertaining.” He traces his finger over her cheek, and she jerks her head away, clearly despising his touch.

I scrunch my eyes closed and open them again, hoping I’m mistaken in my assumption, but her beauty and features are so sophisticated and stunning they are hard to misplace.

Especially when you grew up together, mingling in the same world, your fathers doing business and attending the same dinner parties.

One of them being dedicated to her engagement to her longtime boyfriend, and they were madly in love. In fact, their love story could have been written in the stars for how cute and romantic it is.

Sweet, kind, and successful.

Belonging to one of the famous and long-lasting dynasties, a prima in her own right, and one of the smartest girls I’ve ever met and is good at anything she does.

Emmaline Katherine King.

Rafael frees her mouth, and she gulps for breath before hissing at him, “I hate you.” Her tone leaves no room for any other thought. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a woman despise a man so much. If her hands were free, she’d probably go for his throat.

His sadistic and sinister smile scares even me. “Right back at you, my love.” She leans back, ready to spit at him, and he wiggles his index finger at her. “Nah-uh, my dear wife. If you do, you’ll have to face the consequences.” She freezes, biting hard on her lower lip. “Can you survive them?”

“The day you die, I will dance on your grave,” she spats, which only earns her a chuckle from the certified psycho, and she looks at me, regret written all over her features. “I’m so sorry, Aileen.”

“Don’t apologize, wife. You’re not responsible for my actions.”

“Shut up. Just shut up for once!” she screams at him, kicking at him again, and this time she reaches the target, but considering her size, it’s nothing against him. He doesn’t even budge under the assault. “You’re despicable. Who kidnaps women?”

“Your husband, apparently.” He fists her hair, tilting her head back, and she wiggles in his arms, trying to free herself, but he doesn’t give her the opportunity. “Wouldn’t you agree, Aileen?”

This cannot be real.

“Emmaline,” I whisper, too stunned. She got engaged a few months ago. We all attended the party, as I said. And now she’s married… to this guy?

Clearly unwillingly, but how in the hell did this happen? And how did I miss it? Her wedding to Anthony was planned to happen in the spring, so surely we wouldn’t have missed a change of plans—or rather grooms—right?

For a woman who loved her fiancé so much, this situation cannot be explained. It probably just means he’s holding something over her head for her to betray Anthony like this. They’ve been together since kindergarten!

I want to ask so many questions, hug her even, because she is the first familiar person in this hell, but before I can take even a step in her direction, a powerful and deep roar echoes through the space. It stills us all, while everything inside me sighs in relief, even though I hate myself for it.

“Rafael!”

My villain has come.

CHAPTER TWO

“Don’t believe everything you see or hear.

For even your senses might be deceiving you in the land where villains rule.”

Rush

Rush, 9 years old

A whistling wind dances around me, billowing the curtains back and making them sway when I get up from the bed and tiptoe to the window. I sigh in wonder when the view of the night opens up to me.

Because clouds gather together, the lightning gracing the sky indicates the upcoming storm, while stars marring the blue space slowly disappear one by one.

“It’s almost wish upon a star time,” Rafael whispers next to me, and I blink in surprise but then just laugh under my breath.

---