Page 29 of Goddess of Mayhem

It’s what I went into the mission thinking he is, and I left it knowing it’s staying that way. A group of dancers file off the dance floor when the current song ends, which opens up the floor and allows me to see across the room.

There he is. Dressed in all black with a simple mask on his face, he’s doing what he does best—watching me, as he always has. We may be in this weird place between hatred and something less than that, but it gives me a sense of pride that that much hasn’t changed.

I can see the contrast between his icy-blue eyes and tanned skin from this distance, and my breath catches when they narrow as he notices I’ve found him.

“Oh, good! The two of you have met!” The shrill voice of my mother pulls me from Liam’s gaze as I remember that there are far more venomous snakes in this room tonight. “Malia, darling, this is Caine Byrne. He’s one of your suitors.”

She wraps a loving arm around my waist, and I bite back the urge to break it. Caine’s eyes are zoned in on the movement. My mother may be oblivious to some of the things in my personal life, but Caine knows everything she did to me. And the look of disgust and hatred that flashes across his face nearly makes me burst into laughter.

Honestly, though. The fucking audacity.

I move slightly forward to wiggle myself from her grasp. She quickly takes the hint, dropping her arm before I make a scene and—god forbid—embarrass her.

“Malia, you look stunning,” Caine says with an amused smirk on his handsome face. I want to flay it off and watch those pouty lips drop to the floor. He has no right to be this handsome and smug after what he did.

Knowing where Liam is and my mother making my hackles rise, I’m feeling a little bit more like myself. I still haven’t spoken a word to Caine since he’s been standing in front of me. I pull back my shoulders and raise my chin, but I don’t offer him my words. I’ve wasted enough energy right now.

“I’m so sorry, she’s not feeling herself today,” Tawny says, and I snort, because no shit.Feeling myselfwould mean chewing them both new assholes. “Someone is talking to you, Malia!” she hisses to me.

Caine rolls his eyes at my mother. “I didn’t expect a different reaction.” He shrugs, then turns his attention back to me. “It has been a while since we last saw each other.” He winks at me, and I can feel my mother stiffen beside me.

What’s that about?

A hand gently touches the middle of my back as my dad comes to stand next to me. His eyes shift between Tawny and Caine before landing on me.

“You okay, my love?” he asks, settling his narrowed gaze on Caine.

I may be mad at my dad right now, but I appreciate the intervention. “I’m fine, Daddy.”

He searches my face to look for the lie, and I guess he doesn’t find it, so he moves on. Not before giving Caine anI’m watching youlook, though.

“Problem, mother?” I ask, turning to Tawny to dismiss her. She glares at me in the way she normally does in private. “Didn’t fucking think so.”

She scoffs and walks off, following my dad so they can make their rounds together.

A united front.

Caine smiles at me and steps closer. I want to step away, but I stand my ground. We’ve done this dance before. “Some things don’t change, do they? I always did love punishing your mouth for talking back.”

I tilt my head, not allowing myself to fall into the better memories we had. Throughout his act he was good to me, and that dick was magic. He never treated me as any lesser than he was, and any plans we made for the future it was alwayswe. He played me and made me think I was an equal—the only thing I’ve ever wanted—but eventually proved I was nothing but a means to an end.

“Why are you here, Caine?”

He reaches out and brushes a knuckle down my cheek, and my jaw tenses. I want to flinch away, but I refuse to look weak.

“I deserve that,” he breathes.

I giggle at that. “Really, just that?” A smile stretches across my face as his knuckle continues to travel down my neck. “If you ask me, I’d say I should be wearing your balls as earrings tonight while you choke on your own cock.”

His hand freezes as his smile grows. I swallow down the shudder as Lion shoulders past him, causing him to drop his hand.

“Yeah, no. I think the fuck not.” Lion pulls me into his side, and I look up to him. He looks me over to make sure I’m okay, and Akila walks over to us. “Let’s go find my mama.”

Lion reaches out and wraps his other arm around Akila’s waist, directing us through the crowd and the fuck away from Caine Byrne.

Thirteen

Nathaniel

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