Page 66 of Hate Me Like You Do

But silence only carries on. His body is a silhouette in the fluorescent glow that pours in behind him, his every feature a heinous shadow.

“She refuses to see me. After everything I’ve done for her. Not much of a kind welcome from a fucking woman who claimed to love me once.”

My stomach becomes an uneasy tornado of apprehension as his conversation becomes colder and colder with every word he says.

“This morning, you’re going to come out of your room here and get yourself all cleaned up. I have a few maids waiting in your room to help fetch you anything you need.” He twirls another strand of hair between his fingertips. “You know, Knox told me you hated the dark but I never thought it’d have this kind of behavior change in you. Good call, son.”

My teeth grind together as the first real emotion in days twists through me.

Hate. Festering, hideous hate.

I fucking hate Knox Reyes.

“Me and you are going to take a drive into the city. I thought you’d want to see your mom. I want to see your mom. And before we leave Puduka Penitentiary, she’s going to promise me something. Something very important.”

I blink at his confusing words but he makes himself very clear, very quickly.

“She’s going to promise to keep her fucking mouth shut or I’m going to take care of our pretty little girl the way I should have from the start.” His fingers wrap harshly through my hair and he drags me from the smooth floor in one fluid move, tearing my blonde locks out right from the roots as he supports my weight by my hair alone. A gasp of sharp air stings my throat and tears burn behind my eyes all at once. “Get up, get showered, get changed, and if I hear any more of that fucking crying this morning, I’ll slit your throat and bury you along the freeway before we ever reach Puduka courthouse.”

His hold on me releases and I slam painfully onto my hands and knees in a matter of seconds. The yelp that wants to escape, I shove that down inside of me.

I’m not sure if I have really overcome my fear of the dark or if a new fear, something much bigger, overshadows it.

Ronan Reyes is a terrifying man.

My father fully pushes open the door and more white light cuts into the darkness.

Knox stands directly in front of me, his legs spread wide, his arms folded as he stares down on me with searching eyes. He searches every part of my empty expression as I lie in a heap of tears and piss at his feet.

Just before he turns to walk away, the strong angle of his jaw grinds together in that way I used to idolize, that way I used to think made him so deadly beautiful.

He’s not beautiful.

Not at all.

He’s just deadly.

Twenty-Two

Reed

The air outside is crisp and cold. A sure sign that football season is coming to an end. Fall leaves are as they should be, falling, coating the ground in warm reds and yellows. Each passing football game I play is a reminder that something good has to come to an end.

Absently, I fiddle with the hem of my shirt. Dishes clank against the table as the butler, Mr. Heethers, sets trays down and directs other staff members to follow. Some faces I recognize though I realize I’ve never bothered to ask for their name. Some days I realize I’m a shit person, while other days I pretend not to care.

We’re all shit people. Some of us, just flat out know it while others are better at pretending.

My stomach growls in response to the savory smells wafting up to invade my senses. Despite the excess of food along the sleek black table, it looks empty. This table was meant to host several people, which was one of the reasons Knox, Landon, and I avoid it for meals. It feels more like business here than dinner. Too formal. Especially since Mr. Reyes is sitting with his hands folded in front of him in an ashy gray suit.

He almost blends in with the high back tufted seats he so meticulously chose when they finished renovating and decorating this room two days ago. He likes his neutrals, I guess. Not a crazy jump since his whole house is so plainly embellished with only a few colors. White. Gray. Black.

It’s devoid of color. Which makes it feel devoid of...happiness.

My attention panes over to my friend sitting at his right. Honestly though, I’m in shock that Knox is actually here. The past three days we’ve barely seen him and every minute that we did was supervised by his father. I mean, his dad is here now too, but this is probably the longest we’ve gotten to be in the same room as him.

Suspicious?

Hell yes.

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