Page 62 of Moments of Malevolence

I scream again, and the pillow is torn from my grasp. My eyes fly open to find Kyson staring down at me.

I growl at him. “Give me back my pillow.”

“I can’t let you suffocate yourself. My brother would kill me. And trust me, he knows several ways to make it hurt a lot more than it should.” He moves to the single recliner and sits, pulling out his phone again and playing a noisy game. I give him my best fuck-you glare, which doesn’t even phase him.

Attempting to get up, I manage to get to my feet. But when I lift my head, Kyson is now in front of me.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

He’s stopping me from even moving one inch.

“You aren’t allowed to walk, so sit back down. If you need something, ask.”

“Why are you all so bossy?” I groan. “I can walk to my own kitchen and get my own shit.”

“No, you can’t. Now… What. Do. You. Need?”

“I’m not telling you.” I cross my arms over my chest.

“Well, you aren’t moving either,” he says, still blocking my path. We stand there, eye-to-eye, and I know he isn’t going to give in. He clearly has orders from his brother, and he doesn’t seem like one to go against Zuko.

I wonder why.

“Do you always take orders?”

“I don’t take orders.”

“But you do, from your brother,” I push.

“That’s not the same. He’s blood. It’s not an order from him. It’s a suggestion. But he will fuck you up if you don’t listen.” He winks. “Do you plan to get fucked-up today?” I check my clothes, running my eyes down my body.

“I’m already fucked-up,” I whine.

“Touché. I guess you are.” He laughs. “Now, what do you need? And sit down like a well-behaved woman and tell me.”

“I need painkillers.” He nods and locks eyes with me, and I notice he and Zuko have the same color eyes, except Kyson’s seem a little darker. “And water.”

“Okay. Now sit.”

I do as he says and slowly lower myself back on the couch. Sliding the pillow behind my back so I’m not bent over, he watches me do it before he heads into the kitchen.

“Am I the first girl he’s instructed you to watch?” I yell.

“No.”

Hmm...

“What was the last one’s name?” I ask. “Is it a pattern for him?” He comes back with a glass of water and pills in one hand. After he offers them to me, I place them in my mouth and take the water.

“There was one other. Actually, I think she died from an overdose of pills that Imayhave given her.” My eyes go wide. “Joking. Zuko doesn’t keep nor care about women. Like most bachelors, he fucks ‘em and leaves ‘em.”

“Or fucks them to kill them,” I add.

“Oh, yes, he does like some fucked-up shit.” He smirks. “But you’re still alive and still here, so it can’t be that bad for you.”

“It’s fucked-up.”

“I bet you enjoyed it.”

---