CHAPTER 54
**WINTER**
“Get out,” he ordered, his voice cold and harsh. “I don’t want to see you or your fake sympathy here again.”
I stood there, stunned and bewildered.
“What the hell is your problem?” I demanded.
He didn’t answer. Instead, he grabbed my arm and shoved me forcefully. I stumbled through the open door, barely catching myself before hitting the floor, and spun around to glare at him.
“Stop throwing your weight around, you stupid asshole. I was just trying to help!” I snapped back.
“What did you just call me?” His voice was a dangerous growl as he moved in close, his nostrils flaring and eyes darkening. Our angry breaths mixed, creating a tense, charged atmosphere.
“Stupid. Asshole,” I enunciated each word slowly and deliberately, leaning in so close that our faces were almost touching.
“You’re going to regret that,” he hissed, his tone shifting to a menacing whisper. His hands gripped my arms tightly, pinning me in place.
I struggled against his iron hold, but his strength was overwhelming. Desperate, I allowed my body to go limp, sagging into him. He staggered back, his grip loosening. Seizing the opportunity, I drove my knee up hard into his groin.
He gasped in pain, dropping me as he recoiled and clutched himself.
“You bitch,” he wheezed, his voice filled with rage.
Despite his pain, he recovered far too quickly for my comfort. Panic surged through me as I saw the murderous intent in his eyes. Without thinking, I sprinted towards the door on the opposite side of the room, my heart pounding furiously in my chest.
There was no use in running—he was far too fast. He launched himself at my back, and we both crashed to the floor. We rolled around until he was on top of me, pinning me down, my breath coming in rapid, shallow gasps. I thrashed beneath him, trying to shake him off, but he pressed his full weight onto me, effectively trapping me.
“I can’t breathe,” I managed to choke out, feeling like he was a dead weight crushing me. His hands pinned my arms down, and his legs were tangled with mine. My forehead and nose stung from scraping across the rough carpet during our struggle, the pain making my eyes well up.
“Good,” he replied coldly.
“Zion,” I croaked, my voice barely audible.
“Can’t. Breathe.”
Fear and adrenaline surged through me as I wriggled, desperately trying to turn my head to the side for a little more air.
"I despise you, you know," he said suddenly, his voice cold as he finally released my arms. The shift in his body was just enough for me to draw in a deep breath, the air feeling like a small relief.
I lay there, my energy drained and my mind racing, trying to piece together how I had gone from attempting to offer kindness to this arrogant jerk—trying to help him with his wounds—to being pinned beneath him. The situation was absurd, especially considering how much he clearly loathed me.
As I looked up, his striking face was twisted into a scowl of contempt, his eyes locked onto mine with a mix of anger and derision.
My fear faded as my body betrayed me, reacting to his close presence. Damn, he was insanely attractive—dark and brooding, his anger palpable. His toned, tattooed arms were planted on either side of me, holding him in place with effortless power.
“I really don’t understand you, Zion,” I whispered, my voice barely above a breath as I struggled to regain my composure.
“Why do you hate me so much?” His silence was heavy, the room charged with an unspoken tension. Then, as if my gaze had finally registered with him, he drew his head back, breaking the intense connection between us.
“Don’t look at me like that again,” he commanded, his voice a low growl, laced with frustration.
“Like what?” I asked, trying to sound indifferent even as my heart raced.
“Like you’re begging for me to fuck you,” he said with a sneer, his words dripping with disdain but laced with an edge of something darker.
“Ugh, no thanks,” I replied, though the slight quiver in my voice betrayed the sincerity behind my retort.
Despite my attempt at nonchalance, the tension between us was palpable, electrifying the space with an undeniable force that made it impossible to remain unaffected.
He glanced back at me with a piercing look, and then, as if struck by a sudden realization, he shifted his weight.
Without breaking eye contact, he rose to his feet with an effortless grace, his movements betraying a raw power that commanded attention. “Get up,” he said, his tone firm and commanding.
I sat up, and he seized my hand, pulling me along.
“Hey, where are we going?” I asked, but he didn’t respond.
After a brief walk, we arrived outside my bedroom. Thank God. He pushed open the door and dragged me to the bed.
“Sit here and don’t move until I get back,” he commanded.
“No need to come back. I’m going to sleep,” I said, pretending to yawn.
He shot me an exasperated look before striding out, slamming the door behind him. Moments later, I heard the distinct click of the lock.
"What the hell...."
I darted to the door and yanked at the handle, but it was firmly locked. Why on earth would he do this?
“Zion, what the hell are you playing at? Open the damn door!”
I pounded on the door, my knuckles stinging with each hit.
“Zion, this isn’t funny!”
Silence stretched on, with no response from Zion. I hammered on the door again, my frustration mounting.
“Relax, Snowflake,” his voice filtered through the door, dripping with mockery. “Don’t get those granny knickers in a twist. Just go to sleep.”
“Why the hell did you lock me in here?” I demanded, my voice rising with anger.
“Oh, that?” Zion’s tone remained infuriatingly nonchalant. “Just making sure you don’t go off to play nurse with Ethan. I didn’t beat the hell out of him just for you to tend to his wounds. So, go to bed, Snowflake. Night-night.”
“You’re a psycho!”
His only reply was the sound of his footsteps retreating down the hall, leaving me alone with my pounding heart and seething frustration. I continued to pound on the door, but the silence that followed was heavy and unyielding. Eventually, it became clear he wasn’t coming back to unlock it. With a resigned sigh, I slumped against the door, realizing I had no choice but to stay put.
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