Where the Sun Hides (Seasons of Betrayal #1)(37)

His brother had nearly gotten his head caved in because of her shit, because she and her friends decided they wanted a little trouble and wandered over to their side to fulfill it.

His anger renewed, when she opened her mouth to speak, he snapped, “Don’t speak.”

Surprisingly, she heeded the command, her lips slamming shut. He didn’t give her a chance to contemplate her actions before he was grabbing her arm, dragging her back into her apartment, and slammed the door shut behind them. He swung her around to stand in front of him.

“Kaz, what the hell are you doing?” she asked after he’d let her go, looking down at her arm as though it hurt.

But he hadn’t gripped her hard, of that he was sure. “What did I say?”

“Wait, wha—”

“Violet!”

She jerked violently at the sound of her own name, her gaze lifting to his immediately as fear clouded them. Oh, was she getting it now? Was she understanding that he wasn’t under her father and wouldn’t treat her like she was f*cking glass?

“Tell me, when you stood in that office with me, worried about that little suka, what did I say?”

She swallowed, the sound almost audible as her eyes flitted to the side and back again. “That she would be fine with your brother, but I—”

When he took a step toward her, she took one back, and they repeated this dance until her back was against the wall and he was merely inches away. He shouldn’t have been delighted in her fear, but the sight of it—the way she trembled slightly, her breath catching in her throat—called to the darker urges inside of him.

“Imagine my surprise when f*cking Italians show up and beat my brother to shit because your friend told them that he drugged her.”

“Amelia woul—”

“Who is Franco?” He really wanted to know, and despite his promise to his brother that he wouldn’t be going after the Italians, he would at least have an ending place for his rage once he got the green light.

Understanding seemed to light up her eyes. “Amelia’s boyfriend, but he—”

“Is that what you do?” Kaz asked, interrupting her once more, dragging his gaze down her front like he couldn’t help himself. “You and your little friends. You go out, get f*cking slaughtered on drinks, and then cause problems? Is this some kind of game for you? Is that what you want, someone to f*ck with?”

She was just standing there, staring up at him as though in a daze, but he was too pissed for that shit.

Slamming his open palm against the wall to get her attention, he said, “Answer me, you little suka!”

“Fuck you!” She exploded, shoving two hands against his chest and pushing him away.

Her strength was laughable compared to his, but he did take a step back, waiting to see what she would do next, because while her fear called to him, that fire in her eyes excited him more.





Violet clenched her fists at her side, staying pressed against the wall as she glared at Kaz. She was grateful he had taken a step back from her, because it let her take a second to think, but it didn’t offer much more.

She could still see him. The tightness of his jaw, the darkness in his features, and the anger radiating over his entire body.

He was so pissed.

At her.

And he still looked good.

She kind of hated him for that, too.

“Who do you think you are?” she asked him.

Kaz cocked one eyebrow. “I—”

“No, you get to listen now.” Violet’s anger forced her away from the wall where she felt a little more grounded, and right back at the man who thought he had some kind of right to storm into her apartment, demanding answers like she was the only one who might have them. Her finger snapped into his chest hard, making his gaze drop down to her hand. “Fuck you.”

He chuckled—dry and deep.

Violet ignored the way it rocked his chest and her hand. “I don’t care who you are. You don’t get to come in here like that, putting your goddamn hands on me and dragging me around like some doll.”

Again, he just smirked.

That time, he bared his teeth a little, but he was still watching her hand.

It irritated Violet like she couldn’t explain.

“Look at me!”

Kaz did, instantly. “What?”

Violet stilled. The one word had been practically spat from between clenched teeth—like she was nothing to him, and she wasn’t worth his words, looks, or attention.

She didn't believe it, though.

He’d come here.

That meant something.

“You don’t get to do that,” she repeated quieter.

“Your friend got my brother’s head bashed in—do you not understand that? Your little lies—saving face, whatever the f*ck it was—nearly took his life tonight. If you think you don’t deserve to be called out on bullshit like that, I have news for you.”

Violet shook her head, frustrated. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I told my father what happened.”

“Lied,” Kaz corrected.

She jammed her finger at him again. “I did not!”

Kaz, like she was an annoying little fly that kept touching him, brushed her hand away from his body. “Don’t do that again.”