Page 167 of The Bittersweet Bond

The fear in her eyes that he now understood.

Am I protecting her if I hit him?

Or am I just making it worse?

The thought flickered briefly before anger drowned it out again.

He destroyed her.

He made her hate herself.

And I did nothing to save her.

Guilt tightened around his throat, but it only fueled the rage, turning it into a weapon.

Bas felt his hands tremble, his chest rising and falling as the storm inside him grew stronger.

I left her alone.

She was too afraid to tell me because she thought I’d abandon her.

Because I always abandoned her.

Every fiber of his body hurt.

His steps grew faster, harder. The wooden floor creaked under the weight of his resolve.

The people around him faded into shadows, their faces blurred, their voices muted.

All that remained was Sergej.

Bas clenched his teeth so hard a sharp pain shot through his jaw, but it was nothing compared to the fire consuming him.

His guilt, his fury, his pain—they fused into one unstoppable force.

He broke her.

And now, I’m going to break him.

His walk turned into a charge, his eyes locked onto Sergej, who hadn’t even noticed him yet.

That grin burned itself into Bas’ mind like an open wound.

I’m going to rip that smile off your face.

I’m going to show you what it means to be afraid.

The distance between them shrank, each step an unspoken vow.

There was no retreat, no moment of hesitation.

Bas was a storm.

And Sergej would not survive it.

Finally, Bas stood in front of him, the air between them thick with tension.

You disgusting bastard…

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