Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 148238 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 741(@200wpm)___ 593(@250wpm)___ 494(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 148238 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 741(@200wpm)___ 593(@250wpm)___ 494(@300wpm)
Stop stalling and tell him.
Balling my hands, I said, “I remember you from my past. I remember the fire and barbeques and Libra erasers. I remember homework and TV and stolen kisses. I remember you, Arthur Killian—I remember you when you were younger and not broken. My name is Sarah and I’m yours.” My voice broke but I battled through the sickness of laying my heart at his feet. “I remember you and I need you to stop pretending before it’s too late.”
The room disappeared.
I forgot about the other bikers.
I ignored the entire world as Kill ever so slowly uncrossed his arms and closed the small distance between us. His face was impenetrable, eyes blank, jaw clenched.
My skin sparked, begging for his touch. My mouth ached, pleading for his lips.
“You…” His voice was a deadly hiss.
My body stiffened, fighting the urge to flee.
Mo stood up, standing on my other side, flanking me like Grasshopper.
Ironically, they were protection against the man I loved. Ready to stop me being hurt by the monster rapidly slipping into simmering rage before us.
Kill’s frame trembled. He shook his head. “I have to stop pretending?” he whispered.
The pent-up anger in his tone terrified me.
I couldn’t help it; I took a step back. “Yes. My name is Sarah. You know me!”
He mimicked my step. “Let me get this straight. I’m the one who needs to stop pretending?” His eye flashed and I truly feared him as his soul disappeared. He was locked and barricaded and so wrapped up in grief he couldn’t see the truth.
Tears bruised my eyes. “I’m standing right in front of you. Why are you doing this?!”
Grasshopper said, “Kill, it’s not the girl’s fault—”
“Not her fault?” Kill roared. “Not her fucking fault that she’s torn my heart out all over again and has the nerve to tell me to stop pretending?” He pointed a finger in my face. “I’ve never met someone so despicable or so clever at manipulation, and I’ve met a lot of fucking traitors.”
Turning his full terror upon me, he snarled, “You’re worse than them. At least they stabbed me in the back and left me to rot. You—you just keep stabbing me. Over and over and fucking over until I’m bleeding from every slice.”
Tears welled, and, unwilling to break the seal of my eyelashes, they glassed my vision, making his anger swim and dance. “I don’t know what you want me to say! You have to believe—”
“I don’t have to believe a fucking word you say. You. Aren’t. Her! You will never be her. You will never convince me of your bullshit.”
My body was too heavy. I wanted to collapse, but I had to keep fighting. I couldn’t give up.
“Yes. I am!” I screamed. “If you just listen to what I’m—”
“She. Is. Dead! Just like you’ll be if you don’t shut the fuck up!”
“Killian,” Grasshopper muttered. “Dude, it’s okay.”
Kill turned his arctic ferocity on his second in charge. “No, it’s not okay. I want her gone. Now. Immediately, before I do something stupid.”
“Stupid like believe me?!” My voice seemed to cower in the face of his wrath.
Kill towered taller and taller as if he sucked the life from the room. His voice dropped to the worst hiss imaginable. “I’ll never be that gullible, sweetheart. And just for fucking closure, you aren’t her. And now I know for sure.”
“How? How do you know?”
He smiled coldly, dragging out my worst fears. “You’re a liar, Sarah. Give it up. It’s done.”
Tears slicked down my cheeks. “I’m not. You’re just in denial. Complete and utter heartbreaking denial. Don’t do this! Don’t hurt me like this.”
He laughed.
It sent shivers down my spine.
Rolling his shoulders, he muttered, “Fine. I’ll give you one chance. One final chance. Tell me… are you certain your name is Sarah?”
I breathed hard, terrified of his question. Why did he want me to confirm it? It’d come to me. It fitted. I had memories of Corrine using it. It was mine.
Horror made me second-guess everything; terror made me realize how badly everything had gone so wrong.
Don’t give in.
Slowly, I nodded. “Yes. I’m sure.”
He grinned, eyes flat and face emotionless. “Thank you for digging your own grave and proving what a liar you are.”
I curled into myself, not wanting to hear any more. Not wanting to be subjected to his cruelty another second.
“You’re wrong, Sarah,” Kill breathed. Quickly, he grabbed my throat, holding me tight.
My body pressed against his and for a horrid second I thought he meant to strangle me. His eyes tore into my soul and ripped it into pieces. With more pain than I’d ever seen in a man’s face, he pressed his forehead bitterly against mine. “Her name wasn’t Sarah.” With confusing tender fingers, he cupped my chin, ensuring I never looked away as he delivered the crushing sentence.
“Her name was Cleo. And I killed her.”