Page 41 of King of Ruin

He shrugs. “It’s not my intention.”

“And what is your intention?” My voice is louder now, frustration squeezing me around my center. Even fixing my lips to ask is hard enough, beating around the bush makes it near infuriating.

His eyes flicker down before they find mine again. “To save you.”

My face snaps away from him as I stand, my gaze settling on the guards outside the window, patrolling the grounds. From this high up they aren’t much bigger than roaches, but like the pest, there is an abundance. I wonder vaguely if Phineas had the ground security increased with the anticipation of my family making a move.

But honestly, none of it matters. Whether they come or not, I will find a way to destroy this pathetic place. “I don’t need to be saved.”

“So you’ve said.”

I grind my teeth. “And yet, I don’t think you quite understand.”

“I understand fine.” He shifts on his heels, starting for one of the doors without another word.

This only infuriates me more, and I propel my feet forward, following behind him into what turns out to be the bathroom. “Don’t walk away from me.”

He guffaws. “How the tables have turned.”

I ignore his reference as my eyes narrow. “This is not a game, Kane. When all is said and done, we will be nothing more than common enemies, which will only end with one of us dying.”

After turning on the water, he straightens, hooking his fingers into the waistband of my slacks and yanking me flush against him. My hands inadvertently brush against the hardness in his pants. I bite on the inside of my cheek, hoping the pain will override the sudden clench in my core. Annoyance flutters through me as well, the idea that even through all this, my body still responds so easily to him.

His eyes flicker over my face. “If I’m being honest with you, I never planned on living to see the outside of your estate.”

My brows dip. “You thought I’d find you out?”

Kane shakes his head. “I was planning on telling you the night everything happened.”

He was going to tell me?A knot forms in my throat.

“I would have killed you,” my voice is barely above a whisper, realization settling over me. We’re doomed regardless, whether it was then, now, or in three years when he’s taken over for Phineas and decides he wants to finish his father’s crusade.

“Yeah, I know. But I had hope.”

“Then you were foolish” Agitation works its way into my bloodstream, joining the plethora of other emotions already wreaking havoc on my system.

“Perhaps I still am.” Kane’s eyes search mine, the crease between his brows growing deeper the longer he does. “It’s time to shower.”

He withdraws himself from my space and leans against the sink, taking his shoes off.

“I’m not taking a shower with you.”

He doesn’t look up as he peels off his socks. “But you are.”

“Do not tempt me with violence, Kane.”

Scoffing, he stands, yanking down his pants and briefs in one swoop. I ignore the slap of his erection against his thigh. “We’ve done that before. I do believe I won.”

“Because I made the mistake of wanting you then,” I hiss, twisting to leave. “Iletyou take me.”

“Come now, Boss. Do I need to put my fingers in that delicious cunt of yours to prove how much youstillwant me?” He jerks on the back of my pants, forcing me to twirl around.

Frustration wins, though I’m unwilling to admit it’s because he’s right, and instead, I blame everything else on the day as I lift a balled fist. I attempt to swing at him but he catches it in one hand and draws me close with the other.

“I just want to fucking bathe you. Why must you make it so difficult?”

I rear my head back to slam it into his, but he moves quicker, taking the hand that was holding my pants and threading it into my hair, yanking it back.

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