Page 103 of Cruel Deception
Vincent collapsed, screaming, clutching his bleeding leg.
My head whipped to the side, and I saw him.
Cassian.
Alive. Whole.
But not the man I remembered.
This Cassian walked like death incarnate—calm, controlled, devastating.
His chest rose with each breath, the bullet wound hidden beneath a fresh shirt, his eyes black with fury.
I couldn’t move.
Couldn’t run.
I had awakened the devil.
And now... he had come to collect.
Chapter 16
CHARLOTTE
When Cassian got before me, I literally could not breathe anymore. My entire chest locked up, air refused to come in, and my ribs felt like they were tightening around my lungs. My legs threatened to give out beneath me, and my palms were soaked in sweat.
His presence alone was enough to paralyze me.
“You aimed a gun at my heart,” he said, eyes flat. “And pulled the trigger.”
He looked at me with that same unreadable stare. No anger. No betrayal. Nothing.
And somehow... that was more terrifying than rage ever could be.
With my hands shaking and my head dizzying from too many tears and agony, I swallowed and spoke. “I’m sorry...” I choke, my voice barely a whisper, “It was an accident.”
But the words barely sounded like mine. My voice was hollow. Strangled.
I could still hear Vincent’s painful groan, and deep down, I was scared he would bleed to death. Scared that Cassian would let him.
“If I wasn’t wearing a bulletproof vest,” Cassian said with a pained, bitter smirk, “I could’ve stopped breathing.”
Guilt tore through my chest like a jagged blade. I almost fell to my knees right there, ready to break.
“Go inside,” he said.
“Please...” I breathed, my voice shaking. “What about Vincent?”
I knew he had no reason to help him. Not after knowing how badly Vincent wanted him dead. Not after hearing him order a hit.
But Cassian’s answer was cold. Clipped. “He’ll be sent to the hospital.”
And then he looked back at me.
The glare alone told me everything I needed to know—I should move. Now.
Once I was inside, my chest began to pound so violently, I could hear it echo inside my ears. Was he going to lock me up again? Maybe this time, it’d be forever. No light. No water. No food.
