Page 118 of Goldsin

Sitting straighter, she rolls her neck, massaging the base of it. The soft glow of the bedside lamp captures the bite Lucian left on her, and all the frustration I was feeling seconds ago turns into pure anger.

Maybe it’s the tick of my jaw or the way my demeanor shifts, but she notices and quickly hides it with her hair. It looks like embarrassment is evident in her gaze.

She feels embarrassed?

If I didn’t already have a million reasons to kill the bastard, this one would be enough.

He managed to make her feel ashamed of herself. Of her strength.

I wish she knew how easy it is to bruise when you fight back.

And she fought back.

“You can’t kill Victoria,” I let out before I forget why I came here, forcing the anger fuming inside of me out of my voice.

The green speckles in her eyes turn warm with the gold light caressing the side of her face. Her scowl from before deepens as she says, “Is that why you’re here—to tell me what I can or can’t do?”

“There are consequences to your actions. You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.”

“Neither do you, Julian.”

I don’t know if I want to marry the girl for how stubborn she is or fuck her. Either way, I can’t seem to not want her when she makes it so difficult for me to convince her. Maybe I want her to challenge me for the rest of my life, or maybe I want to see if I can fuck the stubbornness out of her.

I like a good fight. Especially when it’s with her.

“You can’t kill Victoria, because the Inferno Consortium needs her help right now.” The next words to leave my mouth have an acrid taste. “Especially my family.”

Asking her not to kill Victoria to benefit Lucian’s business is like asking her to let him win. Again.

Her laughter fills the room, her chest jerking with the movement, and my shirt slips down her left shoulder. “That’s exactly why I need to kill her, Julian. She’s part of the reason all these terrible things are happening.” She glares up at me.

Somehow I don’t care if she takes me for an idiot. Not when I’m fighting with myself not to push her down on the bed, open her legs, and taste her. Her exposed skin is too tempting as it radiates all her softness, a perfect contrast to her sharp attitude.

I’m trying to save our heads.But I can’t stop thinking about giving her head.

“Aurelia.” I try to reason with her. Or more with myself, really. “You can kill Victoria. I can help you do it, just not so soon.” I grit my teeth as she rolls her eyes. “We need her for now.”

“Is that so?” She crosses her arms over her chest, climbing onto her knees on the bed to level our stares. Atleast she tries to. She still needs to tilt her head up to stare into my eyes. “I didn’t tell you about my plans so you could intervene, Julian. This is my mission, and I won’t let you or anyone else stand in my way.”

“Do you think you’re some kind of superhero out to save the day? You’re going to get yourself killed, and then what? What will be the point of all this?”

“Maybe it’s worth dying for!” Her gaze blazes with determination. “Maybe there’s more at stake here than just your precious business deals.” Her voice turns condescending with the last few words.

Your precious business deals.

She knows my only business is the Den. Nothing else.

“I know you want to avenge your mother. I understand that more than anyone.” My voice turns dangerously calm. “But if you go after Victoria now, you could bring everything crashing down on our heads. The Inferno Consortium needs her alive, her business going strong.”

“Maybe that’s what needs to happen.”

She doesn’t mean it. She’s just a committed, stubborn girl?—

“Maybe this whole twisted world we live in needs to burn so something better can rise from the ashes,” she seethes in all seriousness.

Fish are born in water, so they don’t fear swimming. Birds are born in trees, so they don’t fear flying. Bats are born in darkness, so they don’t fear the night. So I’m not surprised that a girl born from death doesn’t fear it either. That a girl born from selfishnessdoesn’t fear altruism, and that a girl born nameless doesn’t fear being alone.

But it doesn’t mean I get to accept it.

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