Ruthless Creatures by J.T. Geissinger

“When were you going to start asking me questions about
him? Working it into the conversation in subtle ways?”
My voice grows louder. “I wasn’t. This is real. I fell in
love with you.”
She gazes at me in anguish, her eyes bright with tears.
“Sure. Just like David did. Now get the fuck out of my house,
Kazimir.”
She says my given name like a curse.
Though my stomach is sloshing, my blood is boiling, and I
can hardly breathe from the pain, I keep my voice steady and
hold her gaze. “You don’t want me to leave. You love me.
You’re mine.”
Her inhalation is a soft, broken sob. “You’re sick! Look
what you’ve done to me! Look!”
She gestures to her face. It’s red now, instead of white. Her
eyes are wild. Veins stand out in her neck. Her expression is
the equivalent of a building on fire, burning to the ground.
“I can make it up to you.”
“You can go to hell! Max threatened my parents! My
parents, Kage! What if he has someone there right now? What
if another Viktor is in Scottsdale knocking on my parents’
door as we speak?”
“No. Viktor worked alone, like I do. He’d have planned to
come here first, then go there.”
She stares at me in disbelief. “You actually think that
should make me feel better, don’t you?”
When I don’t answer, she bolts.
She runs out of the living room and into the kitchen,
headed for the back door. I grab her before she can get there
and crush her to me, holding her tightly against my chest as
she struggles to get away.
“Let me go!”
“Stop for a minute! Listen to me!”