Page 68 of Sleepless Beauties
She lies limply in his arms, her head has fallen back with her mouth hanging wide open. Her long arms dangle against him, jostling with every step he takes. His dark eyes meet the rage in mine.
“You killed her!” I seethe.
He shakes his head slowly.
“I found her out front. She was facedown just two yards from the steps of the house.” He keeps talking, but his words are an empty sound within my mind.
The excuses he gives for Acessa don’t register.
Instead I cut him off.
“How did you kill Kyra!?” My flashing eyes burn into him so hard it feels like pure hellfire sizzling through my skull.
His dangerous gaze narrows as he carefully lies Acessa on the ground like she means nothing to him. Like sheisnothing.
“How did the demon get out?” He looks over my shoulder at the man I feel standing just behind me.
“There’s a demon out?” The Demon Prince echoes with exaggerated terror.
But I don’t dare look away.
“Was it an accident? Why kill her two years after?” I step closer, water seeping over my toes from the puddle that’s growing with every heavy drop that falls from the sky. It drenches and cools me, despite the heat that’s flaming wilder within my chest.
“I didn’t kill her!” Rival growls out.
“You’re a shitty liar!” My fingers dig into my palms, nails biting into my flesh one by one. “You killed her, and you’ll kill me the moment I’m not of use to you. You fucki—”
His weight crashes into me. Water sprays up around us as he pummels me into the grass.
“Stop talkin’!” Rival grinds out through his clenched teeth. His hands dig into my wrists as he brings them up high above my head. “You’re fooking reckless. Your research, your fooking words, even your fooking pussy is reckless! Mating with men who have no use for a human.” He shakes his head hard, casting drops of cold water across my cheek as he bites his words out an inch away from my face.
Slick fingers dig into my hands, but still I shove against him, fling him off just for him to come right back down with the strength of ten men binding me in place. He’s like a force of gravity all on his own. He outweighs me with far too much power. It’s too intense. Too much…
The snapping sound in my wrist sends a shrieking cry hurling up my throat as tears stream down my wet cheeks.
And then he’s gone. The press of his hands locking over mine is jerked away and the splatter of mud across my neck is felt just as Rival crashes into the earth.
“Don’t you ever touch her like that!” Aston growls just before his head slams down. Another cracking sound echoes through the air as Aston’s skull crashes into Rival’s.
Both men groan, but Aston retreats with a flash of blurring colors. “Run!” Aston waves me off as he watches Rival slowly stand with newfound anger lining his face.
I peer around. The demon sits on a worn grave with his palm under his chin as he animatedly watches me. Prey stands at the door, rain washing over him as he looks from me to Rival and then back to me again.
But he never takes a single step forward.
My body shakes as all the fiery coals burning through my veins fire up at once.
“I suggest you step back, Mr. Cardence,” The Demon Prince instructs as he picks distractedly at his manicured nails. “Miss Vega has a vendetta to appease. You wouldn’t want to get any blood on those fine skinny jeans of yours.” His lips curl as he looks up at Aston’s apparel. “After this, I think we’ll be in need of a new wardrobe. Miss Vega, once you’ve disposed of Mr. Royale, can we go shopping?”
“It’s late. The stores are closed,” Aston answers breathlessly like, that’s the real problem at this moment.
“Shut up! All of you!” Rival points at the two of them, but keeps his gaze locked on me. “I didn’t kill Acessa. I wouldn’t have hurt Kyra! I—”
“Don’t you dare say you loved her.” The pain in my wrist is numb and forgotten as I take a step closer.
“I didn’t,” he whispers, the moon light gleaming in his steely eyes like a deadly weapon.
And I can’t listen to another word out of his fucking mouth.
