Page 8 of Until the Ink runs Crimson

Outside her door, I pause. Not from uncertainty, but from anticipation. I want to see her reaction. Her defiance, her resistance, all of it. She’s not the first person I’ve broken, but I suspect she’ll be the most interesting.

I open the door without bothering to knock.

Calista’s lying upside down on the bed, her eyes glued to the TV with the volume cranked far too high. When she hears the door, she turns, sitting upright, but she doesn’t look away from the screen. She’s still in the same T-shirt from before, pale thighs bare beneath the hem.

I clear my throat. She holds her ground, unmoved.

“God damn it…” I mutter under my breath, striding over to her. I snatch the remote from her hand and turn the TV off.

"Hey!" she protests, her voice high with annoyance. "I was watching that!"

"This isn't a vacation," I say, my tone flat.

"Then you shouldn’t keep me here," she retorts, her eyes finally meeting mine.

"We're getting engaged," I announce without preamble.

Her face instantly freezes, then horror blooms across her features. Her eyes widen, and she opens her mouth, but no words come at first. Then, finally, a whisper slips out—"You bastard. You know what that means to me."

"Yes. I know everything about you. I made sure of it."

She glares at me, her fists clenching, and I watch her chest rise and fall with rapid breaths. There’s fear there, I can see it now. But there’s also anger. A lot of it.

"You can't do this," she spits, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Yes, I can." I state. "I already have."

Her eyes flash with defiance but I can feel her resolve starting to crack. She’s up against more than she can handle.

"You’re no better than them," she says, her voice trembling with anger.

I take a step towards the bed she’s sitting on. From here, I’m towering over her. "But I’m smarter than them," I reply, my voice low and deadly. "I intend to win. This isn’t personal. It’s war."

She pulls herself up onto her knees and crosses her arms. "I’m not getting engaged or married to anyone. And you can’t change my mind."

I can see the fight in her. She’s proud and stubborn but she’s outmatched. At least against me.

"Darling, if you resist, I’ll bring your brother here. And I’ll kill him in front of you,” I whisper. I pause before I add, “Just like they did to your mother."

Her face drains of color as she stares at me. There’s a mixture of fear and disgust on her face. She says nothing, but I know I’ve made my point.

Then, for the first time, I see it—her eyes well up with tears, just a faint shimmer. She wipes them away immediately, like she’s ashamed of what I’ve pulled from her.

I almost regret what I’ve said. But I bury it deep. I’m not about to let a girl’s tears affect me. She’s beautiful. But I couldn’t care less. This is all about control. And she’ll bend. They all do.

She looks away. "I was wrong. You’re worse than them," she spits out.

I pause, my expression stone-cold. "This isn’t about vows or honor. This is about strategy. And if you want your brother to survive, you’ll play the part."

Before I can react, she balls her fist and punches me square in the chest with her tattooed arm. There isn’t enough force behind it to make a dent. I take her wrist firmly, pulling her hand away before lowering myself to her level. "If you want to hurt me with your punches, you need to eat," I say.

She curses under her breath, but I see it—the crack in her armor. She’s trapped, and she knows it. There’s nothing she can do to escape. She’s mine.

"We’ll announce the engagement soon," I say, turning to leave, my voice hard. "Not yet. I want to see how you play this part. So, there will only be a small gathering for now."

"Where’s my brother?" Her voice is barely a whisper.

I sigh, knowing she won’t drop it until she gets an answer—and honestly, I don’t have the energy to fight her on this one. "He’s in Costa Rica."

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