Page 29 of Cruel Revenge

Joshua pulls out two plates and dishes up the food over a bed of what looks like risotto. He turns and sets a plate in front of me.

Smiling, I look down at the food, my stomach growling louder while he slides me a fork and knife.

“This smells amazing.”

He stares at me for a moment, something distant in his eyes. “No more talking about Logan. People aren’t going to believe that we’re married if you keep talking about him and what he did or didn’t do.”

“Nobody is going to believe we’re married if you keep looking at me like a stranger.”

“I guess we’re going to have to get more comfortable with each other before the reception, then.”

I cut into the chicken, moaning when the taste melts on my tongue. “This may be the best thing I’ve ever eaten. If you keep cooking like this, we’re going to have a very happy fake marriage.”

“Just have to survive the reception first.”

“Just make sure Logan and Bella are there. I’ll handle my family.”

He sets his fork and knife to the side. “About that…”

“What about it?”

“If the time comes, I’m going to be the one to kill Logan.”

I bolt upright, the stool sliding out from under me and slamming to the ground. “Like fuck!”

Joshua grabs his knife again, placing the tip of the blade on his plate and twirling it.

A subtle threat. One that sends my heart racing.

If he wants to play games, he’s about to find out I don’t fucking play to lose.

Chapter Eight

JOSHUA

Skyla looksbetween me and the knife like she’s calculating her chances of ripping it from me before I use it to slice her throat.

Not that I would. I still need her alive.

Besides, for some reason, the thought of her dead is very unappealing to me.

That doesn’t mean that I won’t make her pay for her disrespect. That I won’t trace patterns into that glassy skin of hers, watching the blood bead for me.

Marking her in a way that she’ll always remember who owns her body. Who she belongs to.

I bet I could make her beg for more.

“You’re going to want to think about what you do.” I round the kitchen island, knife still in my hand, the tip still pointed at the ground. “I’ve been patient with you so far, but the patience is wearing thin.”

“You haven’t been patient with fuck all.” Skyla takes a step closer to me, challenging me in a way that has my cock swelling,straining against my jeans. “You’ve been domineering and a pain in my ass.”

“And you’ve been nothing but difficult.” I move quick, grabbing her by the throat and shoving her back against the wall, bringing the knife up to the pulse point in her neck. “I’m going to kill Logan if I have to. Whether you like it or not. You and your family wantmyhelp in that little fucking war you all started, you’re going to play my game.”

She swallows hard, and for the first time there’s a flash of fear in her eyes.

It’s gone as soon as it appears, but for just a moment, it was there.

Good.

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