CHAPTER 34
Evren
Crawling – Linkin Park
Engines roar, and the smell of burnt rubber fills my nostrils.
I draw in a deep breath, hold it for a moment, then let it out in a long, slow exhale.
Fuck, I love it. This is life.
The noise. The chaos.
The car is gaining on the bike.
I glance over my shoulder to see if what belongs to me is still where I left her.
She is.
Still standing there, probably fucking boiling over the fact that I'm winning the unsaid bet we made.
And knowing her, she's hating me with every fiber of her being right now.
The thought almost makes me smile.
Hate.
That's how it's supposed to be.
This is what this is.
I brought her here to make sure she understands that I can't stand her. That there will be nothing more. That this is the last time we'll ever see each other.
I want her out of my sight.
I take another sip of whatever the fuck Neo poured me.
That woman is infuriating. She's like some fucking demon child with a baseball bat, smashing everything in her path the second it displeases her.
Because she's chaos wrapped in pretty eyes and sharp teeth.
And every time she tries to break something—including me—I just want to drag her closer and see what she destroys next.
Even if every ounce of her defiance pisses me off, even if her spoiled rich-brat attitude makes me want to wring her neck... I want her baring her teeth and coming for my throat.
There's something about the way she lashes out, the way she burns so fucking bright and refuses to bend, that makes me want to stand directly in the path of the storm and let it hit me.
I shake my head.
What the fuck am I even thinking?
First my body, now my brain? Is she some kind of fucking witch that cursed me?
This is unbearable.
I'd rather cut my own dick off than touch her again. Than think about her like this again.
Suddenly, a high-pitched feminine voice cuts through the music, and my skin crawls.
“Evren!”
Lira.
I barely have time to turn toward the sound before she throws herself at me and kisses me like she’s been starving.
She must has been.
I’ve ignored her calls and texts for weeks now, too busy with the gang, the races, the problems… And Riven.
Instinctively, I catch her before pushing her away.
“The fuck are you doing here, Lira?” I ask, my annoyance plain in my voice. “Nobody fucking invited you.”
I swipe the back of my hand across my lips, getting rid of her lipstick and the taste she left behind.
“Evren, baby…” Lira pouts, her lower lip jutting out. “I’ve been waiting for you to come see me. Don’t you miss me?”
Her perfectly manicured pink nails trail over my arm and all I can think is that her touch feels synthetic, cold.
The sight of her pout only annoys me more, I don’t have the patience for this shit.
I grab her wrist violently to wrench her away from me.
“No,” I snarl. “I didn’t miss you. Don’t call me baby, and don’t fucking touch me.”
I shove her away.
“Evren, how can you say that?” Her lips tremble. “You’ve been ignoring me for weeks! You don’t even come to use me anymore!”
My hand shoots up, covering her mouth.
“Shut the fuck up,” I whisper, a low growl in my voice. “You do not make a scene here.”
I lean closer, my eyes hard and glowing with fury.
“I already told you—we’re not together. You don’t get to barge in here acting like some desperate slut for my cock.” I pause. “You are not welcome in my space. I didn’t text you, and I sure as fuck didn’t ask you to come here.”
I lean down to her ear.
“So get your fake ass out of here, or do I need to show you exactly how much I don’t want you around?”
I let her go and wipe my hands on my jeans in pure disgust.
“But, Evren…” she sniffles. “I love you. I always have. You can’t do this to me!”
She stomps one heel against the concrete, crying like a child who’s just been denied her favorite damn snack.
How the hell did I ever fuck her?
I mean, she has big tits, tight cunt, bouncing ass, pretty fake lips to wrap around me, but her attitude is purely disgusting.
“You’re pathetic.” I step forward, my voice dropping into something venomous. “From the very beginning, I told you not to get attached. You did. You said you were fine with me not wanting anything serious—with you or with anyone.”
I clench my fists, fighting the urge to punch that perfectly sculpted face.
“So here’s what’s going to happen.” I smirk. “You’re going to leave, and you’re never coming back. I’ve got better things to do.”
“Like what?!”
“Like hating someone real.” I laugh bitterly. “Not some fake-ass doll like you.”
Lira breaks down completely, crying in front of everyone.
“For fuck’s sake,” I snap. “You and me? That was never happening. I warned you over and over again. So get over it and find yourself a man who actually wants what you’re offering.”
I lean closer, my eyes hard.
“Because I never fucking did.” I turn my head. “Varek!” I shout.
A minute later, Varek appears.
“Yeah, boss?”
“Get her out of here.” I jerk my head toward Lira. “I don't want to see her crying ass anymore. And make sure she doesn't come back, or I'll deal with both of you personally.”
Varek nods.
Without a word, he scoops Lira up like she weighs nothing. She pounds on his chest, crying and screaming, but the giant barely reacts before carrying her away.
I whirl around, looking for someone to take my frustration out on.
I'm angry enough to kill somebody.
Instead, I find myself looking for the one person who doesn't break because I tell her to.
I want a fight.
I want to hear Riven tell me to go fuck myself instead of crying like a damn child.
Because at least Riven's hatred is real.
And right now, I need something real.
My enhanced eyes, still glowing, sweep across the crowd before settling on my Charger.
The spot where I left her.
Empty.
My jaw clenches so hard I swear my teeth are about to crack.
Where the fuck is she? Did she run? Did some idiot put his hands on her while I was dealing with Lira?
No.
The realization crashes into me.
She ran.
A slow grin pulls at my lips. She saw that bitch throw herself at me and ran.
Oh, God.
I hope she's fucking furious.
My mind tears itself in two.
One part of me—the part that still wants her dead—is telling me to let her go.
Walk away. Forget she ever existed and go back to the way things are supposed to be.
The other—The darker part—It's fucking thrilled.
Thrilled that she escaped, that she's making me chase her again.
Thrilled because I already know she's going to try to rip my fucking head off the second I find her.
And just the thought sends my body into overdrive.
I've always enjoyed letting my dark side take control.
Most of the time, I hand it the reins without a second thought.
She wants to play? Fine.
We'll play.
“Here I come, troublemaker.” I whistle as I start walking. “I hope you're hiding very, very well.”
Her loft is exactly how we left it before I kidnapped her.
Clean, but still lived in.
The exposed brick, the black steel beams—the whole place is fucking killer.
Totally her.
It smells like her—cold leather, metal, warm skin, and that faint trace of dark amber that goes straight to my cock making it throbbing.
Too fucking easy to get in, the emergency stairs, her front door.
Nothing can stop me from getting to her.
Nothing.
I always get what I want.
But I can’t focus on that, we’re playing and I intend to win.
To catch her, to make her regret ever thinking she could walk away from me, to see that fire in her eyes.
I head toward the mezzanine and take the stairs at an unhurried pace like I belong here.
Because I do.
I throw myself onto her bed, still fully dressed.
See if I give a shit.
I spread out shamelessly, boots and all because if she’s going to make me chase her, then I’m making myself comfortable.
And besides—she can scream at me for dirtying the sheets when I find her.
I grab her pillow and pull it over my face, inhaling deeply.
Fuck.
She smells so good.
I can't get enough of it.
A grin spreads against the fabric as I close my eyes for a second.
Mine.
My eyes snap open.
I throw the pillow away like it fucking burned me.
What the fuck was that?
I really need to get a grip.
I need to get her away from me.
Kill her, to do something.
Anything.
Because this is getting completely out of hand. This is more fucked up than my usual mind.