Page 15 of She will Always be Mine

Having had enough with her bratty attitude, I halt and wrap my hands around her tiny waist and pick her up. I roughly pin her back against the wall and push my hips against hers until she’s trapped under my arms.

Our breaths mingle as she huffs, her chest heaving uncontrollably. Cupping her chin, I tilt her face until she’s staring right at me.

“You’re forgetting the rules, my little liar.”

Her body trembles underneath mine and goosebumps rise on her skin. Understanding dawns on her flushed face as the meaning behind my words sink in, drowning us in the memories of the night at the club.

She tries to close her eyes but I slide my grip down her throat and press against her pounding pulse to hold her attention.

“You run, I’ll chase you.

“You lie, I’ll teach you a lesson.

“You disobey me, I’ll punish you. You may have broken your vow but I still own you, Nyra. You’re all mine.”

Silent tears run down her soft cheeks and I watch them land on her full upper lip. Just a small tilt of my head and I could taste it. Taste herpain. But I resist because I have more pressing needs that cannot wait.

Besides, she doesn’t deserve my softness, my kisses… my love, not after she viciously tore out my heart without trusting me with her fears.

At least not so soon.

I’ll make her suffer for the agony she’s putting me through. I won’t be satisfied until she’s walked through fire and hell to earn my trust back. She splintered my heart into pieces and only she will put them back together.

“Riaan,” she murmurs, pulling me out of my dark thoughts. I ignore her while my fingers loosen from around her neck to let her slide down the wall and once she’s regained her balance, I push us inside the bathroom.

I shove her until she’s standing against the sink, her hands landing on the marble so she doesn’t collide against the edge. My body blocks her when she tries to move, effectively trapping her.

She looks up into the mirror and stares at me when I remind her again, “Wash your face, Nyra. I want your makeup off.”

“Why?”

“So I know you’re aching as badly as me and feeling as miserable as me. I want to see beneath the sick charade you’re hiding behind. I want to see why you chose to descend us into the pits of hell when you could just be with me.”

“I-I’m sorry, Riaan,” she says in between sobs.

“No. You’re not,” I murmur, and then promise, “but you will be.”

Snatching a facecloth from the counter, I lean forward and wet it under the running water from the tap.

Nyra fists my shirt while shaking her head and the more she fights, the more I believe she doesn’t want me to do it because it’s her layer of defense. Although her tears are doing a fine job, I’m still not satisfied. It’s still not enough.

Gripping her chin once again, I hold her still as I softly clean her face and at the first swipe, my vision goes red.

Darkness swarms in.

The moment she feels me go still, her shaky hand tries to cover the evidence, but I forcefully slap it down and trap both her wrists between our bodies.

Fixated, I dab the wet cloth again and again under her eyes, down her cheeks, until her natural pink skin peeks out.

Light, fading marks mar her beautiful face.

I grit my teeth as I stare hard at the sight of fingertips imprinted on her right cheek, wishing my eyes were playing a trick on me.

“She hit you,” I solemnly state.

As if my words triggered her, she falls apart, crying harder against my chest as if she can’t hold it in anymore.

I know I wanted to see her hurt just a moment ago, thinking it would make me feel better, but seeing her like this, I have never felt so helpless or angry at myself. I’m thundering inside while my sweet Nyra breaks down before me.

---