CHAPTER 66
**WINTER**
I tried to keep my voice steady, even though my heart was pounding in my chest. “Zion, come on. We can figure this out like rational people. I never wanted to be your enemy, so tell me what I did wrong,” I pleaded, my voice trembling slightly as I took a careful step back, trying to put some space between us.
His hand squeezed my arm tighter.
"Ooch! Zion, you're hurting me. Please, just be a little gentle... show some mercy…"
But the moment the word “mercy” left my lips, I saw his expression darken, his eyes narrowing as a cold, twisted smile curled at the edges of his mouth.
“Do you think I’d show you mercy just because you’ve got a nice pair of tits and ass?” His laugh is chilling, stripped of any warmth, a menacing sound that makes my skin crawl.
“Z-Zion, you're hurting me” I stammer, wincing as his fingers press painfully into my arms. “I swear, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t remember ever lying to you. But you’re drunk, and you need to go back to your room and sleep it off. We can talk about this when you’re sober if you want,” I added, doing my best to stay calm and avoid provoking him further.
“Oh, Snowflake,” he sneers, his voice laced with sarcasm.
“That’s the issue, isn’t it? You won’t even own up to your lies. No one’s ever taught you that lying has consequences. No one’s ever put the little liar in her place—but that’s about to change.”
I feel him shift, his breath warm against my skin as his lips brush over the frantic pulse at my neck.
His lips graze across it slowly...
The touch is gentle, almost tender, but the context makes it all the more terrifying. A low groan rumbles from his chest, vibrating through the air, and to my horror, I feel it resonate deep inside me, sending an unwelcome wave of heat through my core.
No. This is wrong. So, so wrong.
“The worst part,” he whispers against my skin, his voice soft and venomous,
“I genuinely thought you were my best friend,” he said, his voice full of betrayal. “I believed you were the nicest girl I'dever met, that you cared about me and would never hurt me. But you proved me wrong, didn’t you? You made me believe in something that could never be. I thought you were a good girl, but I was mistaken. I begged you to keep quiet, but you didn’t listen.”
What was he talking about?
I gasped as his teeth scraped along my neck, the sharp sensation pulling me back to the present.
“I…” I try to speak, but the words die on my lips. Even without his hand around my throat, I’m paralyzed, unable to think or react, overwhelmed by a maelstrom of emotions—fear, disbelief, and a sickening realization that the person I once thought was my best friend has become a stranger filled with malice.
He leaned in, our lips almost touching, his eyes blazing with fury.
“Tonight’s party was a disaster because of you. No amount of alcohol could drown you out of my thoughts. You ruined my party last night, and even without being there, you managed to screw up tonight’s party as well. I had two gorgeous women on their knees, ready to do anything for me, but all I could think about was you.” His voice dropped to a menacing whisper.
“Oh, and don’t fool yourself into thinking my friends will back you up just because you’ve flirted with them, like the slut you are. They’re my friends, and they always will be. They’ll never be yours.”
Tightening his grip “You never should have come here, Snowflake,” he said, his voice cold and threatening. "But now that you're here, I'll break you down, bit by bit.. I’ll take everything from you until there’s nothing left, just like you did to my family.” I shook my head in confusion, not even realizing I was doing it.
He wasn’t making sense.
There was a brief silence, and I wondered what more he could say. Then he cleared his throat and began again,
"You threw down the gauntlet, saying if I wanted a war, then a war it would be. Challenge accepted, sweetheart. By the time I’m through with you, you’ll regret ever crossing paths with me." From now on, I’ll be your worst nightmare.” With that, he released me. Gasping, I nearly collapsed, not realizing how much he had been propping me up.
I squeezed my eyes shut and slid down the wall until I was sitting on the floor. When I heard the door click open and then shut, I let out a ragged breath, followed by an uncontrollable sob. I bit my lip, trying to stifle the scream that threatened to escape.
........
It felt like an eternity before I finally managed to get up from the floor. I checked the door for what felt like the hundredth time, ensuring it was securely locked, before dragging myself back to the bed. I didn’t have the energy to change or even remove the smudged remnants of makeup from my face. All I wanted was to bury myself under the comfort of my blanket, clinging to the flimsy sense of security it provided, as if it could shield me from my unhinged stepbrother.
The relentless tick-tock of the clock on the nightstand was the only sound accompanying my rising anxiety.
As I lay awake in bed, it feels like my heart is lodged in my throat, pounding relentlessly. A gnawing fear grips me, clawing at my insides and threatening to swallow me whole. I keep glancing around, my mind frantically searching for something out of place, convinced that I’m being watched. I’ve already checked the door three more times, turning the lock and testing it, and made sure every window is tightly sealed.
The paranoia is maddening, a constant itch under my skin that I can’t scratch away.
God, I despise him. I despise him for turning my nights into a living hell, for making me question my own sanity. The anger and frustration bubble up inside me, knowing that he’s the one driving me to this madness.
...........
*FLASHBACK...
*The living room is dimly lit, the TV casting ghostly flickers that dance across the walls. I’m curled up on the couch, clutching a pillow as if it can shield me from the shadows. The horror movie we watched has left me jittery, every faint sound from the house magnified into a potential threat.
*Zion notices me fidgeting. Wordlessly, he reaches over and takes my trembling hand in his, the warmth of his grip a stark contrast to my icy fear.
*“Why are you shaking Snowflake?” he asks gently.
*“I hate horror movies,” I admit, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment. I don’t want him to think I’m weak, but the terror is real.
*“Why didn’t you say something?” he asks, sounding genuinely concerned. “We could have watched something else.”
*
“Because you wanted to watch this,” I shrug, feelingmy cheeks heat up.
*“Hey, if I’d known horror movies freaked you out, I wouldn’t have suggested it,” he says softly, his voice a soothing balm against my anxiety. “Don’t be afraid, Snowflake. I’m right here.” His gaze locks with mine, full of reassuring calm that helps ease my fear.
*“Nothing’s going to hurt you. I promise.”
The sincerity in his gaze is comforting, making his promise feel like an unbreakable shield.
*
“*I’ll take care of any monster that tries to get near you,” he adds, his words carrying a protective intensity that wraps around me like a warm blanket.
*I nod, the fear inside me starting to dissipate as I feel the steady strength of his hand. Zion’s presence becomes my fortress, his words a soothing balm that quells the fear. With him beside me, the darkness outside seems far less menacing.
*
........
Now, lying in bed, those comforting memories seem like distant echoes. The warmth of his past promises stands in stark contrast to the cold threats he makes now. I never imagined that the one who once promised to protect me would become the source of my greatest fear.
Sleep eventually drags me under, but even in my dreams, Zion’s shadow looms large, a haunting reminder of the protector who has transformed into my deepest terror.
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