CHAPTER 49
**WINTER**
“Out!”
His eyes locked onto mine, and I could see the immediate displeasure etched on his face. That look—the one that screamed,
"I can't stand you, so get the hell out of my sight." I recognized it all too well.
His jaw tightened, and his chin tilted slightly, as if he had donned his "bully" persona. I struggled to catch my breath.
The pounding in my chest echoed loudly in my ears, and right now, escaping to a distant place seemed like a dream.
All I wanted was one night of peace and fun. But no, he had to ruin it—forcing me to leave the party early, confronting Ethan, and making it personal.
I shoved open the car door and rushed inside, heading straight to the kitchen. My throat felt dry, and my hands shook as I grabbed a Sprite from the fridge, determined to stay clear-headed despite the tempting bottles of beer nearby.
As his footsteps grew nearer, my heart skipped a beat. I kept my back turned, silently praying he’d change direction and leave me be.
But that wasn’t the case.
The sound of his steps grew louder until I could sense him right behind me, his warmth almost palpable. I didn’t dare turn around.
My hands shook slightly as I focused on the task at hand, trying to ignore the growing sense of unease.
Calm down. Calm down.
Desperate for some control, I grabbed ice and plunked it into my drink, focusing on each movement to steady my breathing.
I tried to move to the side to avoid him, but his arm shot out, blocking my path as he reached for a cup. I attempted to maneuver around him, slipping to the left to get away, but his other arm stretched out to seize the Jack Daniels.
I ran through ten different scenarios in my mind: elbow him in the gut, throw my drink in his face, or maybe—what else?
But those were just daydreams.
Hadn't he wanted me gone as soon as we got home? So why was he hovering now?
I had planned to keep my distance tonight, yet here he was, right behind me.
Zion was clearly trying to intimidate me, flexing his control just to make a point. He seemed to relish ordering me around every chance he got.
All I wanted was one night of fun before college started, a break from the stifling atmosphere of this house that never felt like home.
But no, Zion clearly didn’t like seeing me happy.
Why couldn't he just leave me alone?
I turned around, bracing myself to face him. I met his gaze, and for a moment, we stood in silence.
Zion rarely spoke to me unless it was to issue a threat, so his quiet was unsettling.
Wasn’t he supposed to give an order or hurl an insult?
I noticed a smear of blood on his lip and, almost instinctively, reached out to touch it. My finger gently wiped away the blood, and his whole body tensed at the contact.
He went still, his dark brows knitting together in confusion. Slowly, his gaze drifted down my body, and a smirk gradually spread across his face.
“Looks like your nipples are getting hard, just touching me Snowflake. Am I getting you all hot and bothered?”
A wave of mortification hit me as I realized my nipples had hardened from the cold, not from touching him. I quickly pulled my hand away.
My initial reaction was to fold my arms defensively, but that would only show that he had gotten to me. My next thought was to give him a sharp slap across the face.
"Are you trying to play hard to get? It's clear you're feeling something. You enjoy my proximity, don’t you? Perhaps I should do this more often." His words dripped with malicious delight.
Son of a .....
I glanced down to avoid his intense gaze and noticed a distinct bulge in his pants. A smirk curled at the corners of my lips as I raised my eyes to meet his.
“I guess the chill might be making my nipples hard, but what’s your excuse?” I asked, trying to mask my satisfaction.
Zion’s smirk faltered as his eyes dropped to his cock, assessing the situation. When he looked back up, the smirk was back, but this time it was laced with a dangerous edge.
“Yeah, you’re right,” he said with a hint of derision. “I am turned on, but not by you. Cindy was on my lap earlier, and I’ve had a hard-on for her for three months. But you and that damn Ethan screwed up my chances with her. Don’t flatter yourself into thinking this reaction is about you.”
His words stung, but there was a strange satisfaction in seeing him thrown off balance.
“Then why are you still here? If Cindy’s got you worked up, go handle it. Maybe you should jerk off to her memory or, better yet, call her over.”
Zion’s expression shifted to one of surprise at my challenge, and I immediately regretted the words.
“Maybe I just might,” he replied, a dark edge to his voice.
“Maybe I should call Ethan and get him to help me with my...”
Before I can finish the sentence, Zion’s hand lashes out, gripping my waist and yanking me hard against his chest. The breath is knocked out of me, and I try to pull away, but his arms clamp around me like a steel trap.
“Don’t you dare say another fucking word!” he snarls, his voice a low, menacing growl in my ear.
“You were thinking about that asshole?” Zion’s voice is a jagged edge, cutting through the air. “That’s why your nipples are hard. You really like him that much?” His grip on my waist tightens painfully, yanking me even closer until I’m pressed hard against him.
The heat of his body sears through my clothes, making every nerve in my body flare up. His breath comes hot and ragged against my neck, a menacing growl in his voice.
"Do you have feelings for him? Tell me, Snowflake, does the thought of him make you wet?"
His words are a brutal assault, meant to humiliate and dominate. I can feel the intensity of his anger and the raw, consuming jealousy in every word he spits at me.
"Its none of your damn business!"
“I saw the way you were worried about him, back at the pit,” he hisses. “Were you planning on going back to play nurse? Kissing his bruises better like the good little girl you are?”
“What the hell are you even talking about?” I snap, trying to sound tough, but my voice wobbles.
“He was the first person who was actually nice to me here. Of course, I was worried about him!” The lie feels thick on my tongue, but I force it out, knowing full well that Ethan is just as twisted as Zion.
“Nice?” Zion’s voice drips with contempt.
“You have no idea who that scumbag really is, do you? He’s just playing you. He wants nothing more than to get into your pants, Snowflake. And you’re so desperate for someone to notice you that you can’t even see it.” His words sting, each one a sharp barb, but his grip doesn’t ease up.
“I don’t care what you think, Zion. Now let go of me,” I demand, though my voice betrays my fear. I struggle to regain some semblance of control, pushing back against his overwhelming presence.
“You’re nothing but a controlling, arrogant jerk who thinks he can dictate my life. But I’m not going to let you!”
His jaw tightens, and I can feel the anger rolling off him in waves.
“Better to be a jerk than a liar,” he sneers, his eyes narrowing dangerously. My breath comes faster, my chest heaving as I feel the energy draining out of me. Despite my anger, despite my fear, there’s a part of me that just wants to give up and sink into his hold, as if it’s the only solid thing in this moment of chaos.
“Just... let me go, Zion,” I whisper, all the fight gone from my voice.
His eyes bore into mine, and for a fleeting second, I think I see something shift—something almost vulnerable. But it’s gone as quickly as it appears, replaced by the cold, unyielding mask he always wears, the one that makes him so impossible to reach.
After a heavy sigh, he muttered a curse and took a swig of his drink, then turned and walked away.
As he exited the kitchen, I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead. Despite the lack of confrontation, my stomach felt hollow. I caught sight of his slight limp as he walked away. He was hurt.
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