Page 10 of King of Ruin

It’s not a question, but Kane responds anyway. “I didn’t lie to you. I haven’t…”

I scoff, annoyed with him and myself for not exploring the hint of emotion he gave me when I asked him before at the farmers market. He’d said nonexistent–which could mean a plethora of things–but the way his jaw worked as he answered… I should have dug deeper.

“So this is who you are.”

His head tilts to the side as he runs a thumb under his bottom lip. “I’m the same person now as I was two days ago,mo bhanríon.”

“Don’t patronize me, Kane.”

“I wouldn’t dare.”

My teeth snap together audibly as I adjust myself under my restraints. “Why are you here? To gloat? I’m afraid I’m not in the mood to entertain you.”

“Before I say anything, I need to ask you something.” His gaze falls as he swallows and corrects himself. “I need toknowsomething...”

He trails off and I find myself more annoyed than I should be. This man is washed from my system, anything he saysshouldn’taffect me. Yet, sharing the same space is starting to fill me with a burning sense of murderous rage. “Come now, Kane. You’ve never been shy with words before.”

He looks back up to me, and I see the worry before he’s able to blink it away. “If I’d told you who I was, would you have killed me or let me explain?”

I pause. The answer’s easy but why he’s asking it confuses me. He’s a rat. Why would he think I’d willingly let him in my home?

“You’d be dead before your next word.”

He nods as though he already knew the answer, but inquires further. “Even if I told you I wasn’t against you? That I wouldn’t hurt you.”

“I wouldn’t have cared, nor would I have believed you.”

“If I said it was to save someone?”

I sigh, ignoring the slight crack in his voice. “Again. I wouldn’t care. You are the child of the man who slaughtered my parents. A man who’s sold hundreds of women as though they were nothing more than objects he had the rights to sell. The moment you opened your mouth and said you were a Murphy, noth–”

“You’d condemn me for what he did? Even if I had no intention of seeing things through at the possible expense of who I had a duty to save?” His voice is rising now, guilt and anger mangling this calm exterior.

“You are one and the same to me now. You bear his sins as if you committed them yourself.” Even though I mean it, something about saying it feels wrong–misplaced.

“I am not my father!” he roars, the tender gold flakes in his eyes gone under the dark waves of green. A storm rages in them and for a moment I wish I believed him. “I had no choice.”

My laugh is bitter. “We always have a choice, Kane.”

“Because the people I want to save mean nothing to you, you wouldn’t have even heard me out. You’re a fucking hypocrite.”

“Step six inches closer and repeat yourself.”

The corner of his lip curls, exposing the dimple in his left cheek. Whatever fury was there just moments ago is gone, replaced by something darker. “So I’m within striking distance? Come on, Boss, I know you too well.”

“You knownothingabout me.” If my words could carry venom, they would kill him ten times over with the amount I let drip into my words.

“I know more than you’d like me to. For example.” He takes a wide step to the side of me, maintaining his distance while keeping his hands casually tucked in his pockets. He makes a full circle around me as he speaks. “I knowwhyyou take your breakfast exactly the same each day. How your inability to enjoy a cloudless sky has increased your struggle with acceptance. Why you wear black every day. How you parade yourself as some fearless woman and yet know exactly what you planned once Phineas is dead, but couldn’t even tell your family.”

Does it surprise me that he can read me as though I’ve written it down myself? No. But it does grate against every last nerve I have.

Running my tongue over my teeth I curb the rising fire brewing behind my ribcage. This is what he wants–a reaction. But he won’t get it. “I’m bored, Kane. Be a good little soldier for your daddy and get to the point.”

“You want me to be your enemy so bad?Fine.” He moves quickly, jolting forward as his hand snaps out and grips my jaw hard. I don’t bother fighting against his hold that’s likely bruising my skin, but instead lift my chin, letting my eyelids lower in said boredom. He doesn’t let my expression deter him.

“I know you more than I wanted to. So much so, I’ve found myself in a rather…” Ezekiel trails off, his gaze lowering to my throat, then to the tops of my corset. But instead of continuing down, his eyes stay locked on the space where my heart is. My body burns in response, his boldness somehow making me both angry and intrigued.

“Fucked up situation,” he finishes.

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