Royal Prick (A Stepbrother Romance #2)(29)

My breaths came out in pants as I continued running, the distinct burning in my muscles starting to form. My Jeep was within sight. If only I could make it there. My heart dropped into my stomach as soon as the sound of heavy footfalls behind me met my ears. Still I couldn’t risk stopping, not even for a second to look and see who it was that was following me.

“Go ahead run from me, Noelle. I knew eventually you would. It was just a matter of time. What, you can’t handle seeing me in the raw, seeing the dark side of me?” Hearing Royal screaming so close from behind me caused my fear to jump into my throat.

Deep breaths. He won’t hurt you.

“Just know that you can run now, but when you get home I’ll be there waiting for you.” I finally stopped, my body landing hard against the hood of my Jeep; panic still claiming my body in a tight vice. I shoved my shaking hand into the front pocket of my shorts trying desperately to grab my keys. I shouldn’t have chosen to wear the tightest pair of shorts I had. What the f*ck was I thinking?

“Come on, princess, I thought you wanted to see me at my worst…” His voice was closer now, taunting me. The icy tone of it sending shivers down my spine and making my insides curl. You can do this. My heart threatened to jump out of my chest.

Just as my fingers finally gripped the cold metal of my key ring, I felt his hot breath at the back of my neck.

FUCK!

Panic and fear seized me, paralyzing me into place. I stopped wiggling, hell I probably stopped breathing, too. He was so unpredictable, like a house of cards ready to tumble over with the slightest movement. I had no idea what he was going to do to me, or what was going on inside of his head. All I knew was I didn’t want to stick around to find out.

“Please, Royal. Please just let me go. I just want to go home now,” I pleaded with him, my voice shaky as tears started to form in my eyes. I struggled to keep a grip on my keys as my body shook.

“Is it true?” he asked, the calmness in his voice taking me by complete surprise.

“Is what true, Royal?” I asked as I felt his arms curl around my shoulders and begin to twist me around so I was facing him instead of the windshield of my Jeep.

“What you said back there about not being mine?” His voice was so deep it was like jumping into the deepest part of the ocean. The words he spoke danced across my skin, doing strange things to my emotions. He skimmed his lips across the side of my throat, and I swear my whole body threatened to give out on me.

That was the last thing I expected him to ask me, the question catching me completely off guard. A quiver wracked my body as he lowered his hands from my shoulders, gently gliding down my arms and only stopping to rest on my hips as he guided our bodies closer together.

Was this some type of game to him? The push, the pull. The dark and commanding. The sweet and endearing. I didn’t know which side of Royal I was going to see, and that scared me the f*ck out of me.

This wasn’t happening, not after everything that we fought against. Not after everything that I just witnessed tonight. He wasn’t seriously asking me this after almost killing someone. Anger stirred inside of me.

“Yes of course it’s f*cking true, Royal. You don’t own me. I’m not yours.” The words came out softly, not wanting to hurt him or cause him anymore anger. I could feel the air around us change. It grew hot— electrically charged— like that of the air during a summer night’s thunderstorm right before the lightning struck.

“Don’t lie to me, Noelle,” he growled, one of his fists coming out of nowhere and landing harshly against the car door. His whole body was covering me, crowding me, cornering me. I felt trapped, like I was finally the prey trapped in the snare.

“It’s… It’s not a lie. I’m not yours, Royal. We aren’t…” I was done fighting. I was so overwhelmed by his presence that I couldn’t even finish my sentence.

Everything he did to Dom tonight was completely unnecessary.

I wasn’t his. To him I was just a spoiled f*cking brat. I didn’t know pain. Not like he did. There was a stark difference between us. He put me on the highest pedestal possible all while thinking the worst of himself. I looked into his dark eyes. I was still scared; still completely f*cking afraid of what I would find in them, but as our eyes clashed together, I found that I couldn’t look away. The darkness in his eyes ate at the good inside of me, and it was then that I realized I wanted him.

I wanted him so f*cking bad.

“You make no sense, Royal. One minute you hate me and think I’m a spoiled brat that broke up your happy little family, and the next you are staking claim to me.” I was so frustrated. “Why? What the hell do you want from me?” I questioned, pushing him, begging him to give me an answer.

I needed air, space, and time.

“I don’t know how to answer that, Noelle. You confuse me, too. One minute I want you and the next I don’t. You make me question every single thing that I have ever said, done, or believed,” he aspirated, raking one of his hands through his hair in frustration.

“I want you bad enough that I would break every f*cking law for you. I would put myself in danger just for you. Just to have you. Just to protect you.” His words were harsh.

“I don’t need you to do anything for me…” Royal’s bloody hand shot out, his pointer finger landing against my cold lips, all but telling me to be quiet or else. I could see the danger, it was right there, just like the trigger on a gun waiting to be pulled. If I reached out to touch it, would I get hurt? Would it consume me? Would I let it?