When I open my eyes, all I see is blue and turquoise and shades of cerulean. Eyes, his eyes. They aren’t cold and empty. There is an ocean of hidden emotions, tucked away deep inside. So deep, so intense. Angry waves crashing on a stony shore. Pulling at me, tugging on me. My skin feels too tight. My hands and legs tremble.
"Don’t you dare faint again."
Fury vibrates off of him, and all of my nerve endings seem to flare at once. The world comes into focus again. I swallow, and my throat hurts.
"Drink this." He holds a glass to my lips.
No way!If he thinks I am going to accept a drop of water from him, he’s—
He glares at me; I purse my lips.
"Don’t be stubborn." He growls.
I turn my face to the side. My heart begins to race and my vision wavers again.
"Fine."
I hear him step back, then hear the thunk of a glass hitting a surface.
"I didn’t poison the water. Honestly." He shakes his head as if he can’t believe I’d suspect him of such a thing.
My tongue feels swollen in my mouth. A bead of sweat slides down my back. There’s silence a beat, then another.
"Please, Summer."
Goosebumps flare on my skin. Maybe it’s the fact that he spoke my name, or he used the ‘P’ word. I chuckle to myself. Why do I care about that, huh? But I’m too thirsty; an itchiness crawls down my throat. I turn on my back, then sit up and swing my legs over. The world tilts then straightens. I reach for the water. My fingers are shaking. How strange. I mean, nothing much has happened, except… My entire world has come completely undone. All the moorings gone, everything I thought I was, had worked toward, all my hopes and dreams and ambitions. My company, my sister… Karma. Focus on Karma. I need to get through this for her. I drain the glass, place it on the table. Then wipe the back of my palm across my lips.
"Why?" I raise my head, take in those features that I’ve come to hate. "Why do it?"
"Because I need revenge against your father."