Page 11 of Remi's War (Four Dark Horsemen 2)

Maybe then, the loneliness that claws at my soul and continues to spread inside me ever since I read the letter that changed my world, destroying it, will go away and be replaced with something more powerful.

Something that will allow me to be myself and not present a beautiful mask to all the people who surround me and think they know me.

Because even your family can become a powerful weapon against you if they set their minds to do so, and your true nature has to stay hidden from prying eyes, ready to manipulate you into something you’ll never be, just so you fit the criteria they need.

Loving my dad didn’t make me blind to his flaws, and unfortunately those flaws hurt me more than he will ever realize.

Shaking my head from the grim thoughts and internal musing that should have no place in my mind while I’m on my mission, I tell the driver, “Thank you. Let’s stop by an optician first.” Then I hop inside, resting my head against the car’s seat while closing my eyes, my body buzzing at the memory of hard muscles pressed again me, leaving me breathless.

Welcome to Chicago indeed.

Remi

If the devil wanted to send a creature to earth who was able to lure men to their doom because they were so mesmerized by the beautiful mirage she represented when she called their name, it would have her face.

I keep my gaze trained on the woman, who freezes by the car, pondering something while the wind plays with her dark locks falling down her spine in heavy waves, reminding me of the ocean during a storm. I allow myself to drink in her features, momentarily blocking away the outside world, which almost never happens.

A hunter never sleeps; instead, he is always ready to attack anyone standing in his or her path, destroying the opponent in the most vicious ways.

Her skin seems almost porcelain in the bright sunlight, showcasing the smooth perfection, but it doesn’t reveal her veins or the beating of her pulse that would announce her true emotions at this moment.

A flawless canvas with endless possibilities to discover, a yet-to-be-carved statue destined to grace the most famous museums, because such beauty shouldn’t be hidden from the world.

Something unfamiliar sparks inside me, something I haven’t felt before while watching a woman, which only intensifies the need rushing through my veins, urging me to get closer to the woman and snatch her away from whoever came to pick her up.

Mine.

Interest and curiosity—two feelings a monster like me forgets about, because nothing surprises me anymore.

After all, when one lives in darkness and deceit for so long, having seen the most despicable things done by humankind to each other, he no longer shocks easily or finds the people around him amusing or worth his time.

This fascinating creature just might become my one exception, and wouldn’t it just put a dent in my carefully laid plans?

Her oversized dress hints at some curves but only allows me to see her long, slender legs, which are a surprise, because the top of her head barely reached my collarbone.

Her lilac scent still lingers in my nostrils, sending an odd thrill into my blood, demanding I wrap my hands around her waist and attach her to me in any way possible, so she won’t smile at any other fuckers.

Mine.

I haven’t had the chance to study her eyes, and the need is all-consuming. The possessive beast living inside me roars its displeasure at being denied the sight and almost lunges toward her to grab her chin and make her look at me.

Because although I know they are sky-blue and icy-cold by nature, the monster craves to stare at their beauty in real life and not through a photo.

After all, I have been studying the instrument of my revenge for so long that I’ve learned everything about her down to her favorite drink and how she loves to put extra sugar in everything.

Yet not once in all these years have I felt this pull toward her or any kind of reaction from my body wanting to stake a claim where it shouldn’t.

Because what a hunter uses as bait and a weapon to trap his prey cannot ever be vitally important to him.

What the hunter cannot control has the tendency and power to disrupt his environment and then destroy him.

However, the idea of ever letting her go no longer satisfies me, even though at the beginning of the plan I had no intentions of harming her.

Everyone in my world believes I fell in love with her years ago, and that’s how my obsession was born, although the idea itself is so laughable a chuckle slips past my lips.

Love is a mistake in anyone’s life, bringing consequences to innocent people around them, and anyone believing otherwise is a naïve fool.

They have no idea this is a deceitful lie in order to achieve what I want and finally put an end to his reign in the most horrendous way.

---