God of Pain (Legacy of Gods #2)(17)

His black T-shirt and jeans do nothing to conceal his muscular build or the power shimmering beneath the surface.

Nor does the signature blank look on his face or the coolness in his expressionless eyes.

“Remi’s shagging,” he announces coolly, easily.

He nods at Cecily and spares a glance in my direction. But it can’t actually be called that. It’s a tenth of a glance.

A mere inch of a glance.

“Ugh. That pig.” Cecily shakes her head. “We’re crossing Remi off the potential candidates list.”

“We can add Creigh instead!” Ava grins, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. When he gives her a look, she goes on, “Anni needs a fake boyfriend to convince her family not to arrange her with some evil mafia chap. Bran is our number one candidate because he’s like the best. You are, too, Creigh, but your lack of words can be a deal breaker for some.”

“Yeah, not him.” I force a smile and rub my foot against my calf. “That just leaves Bran. I’ll go beg him on my knees.”

Something flashes through Creighton’s eyes. Not sure what it is, but it’s raw enough to send a chill down my spine—like his text two days ago.

For the first time ever, I, Annika Volkov, found no words to type back. Not even an emoji or a GIF. I was stunned into silence.

Partly because I knew not to push when someone set clear boundaries and partly because I’m starting to think Creighton is nothing like the fa?ade he shows to the outside world.

And while that intrigued me, it terrified me to the core as well, and I have enough self-preservation instinct to stay away from muddy situations the moment I sense them.

That feeling is repeating again, and it tunes out all the noise around us as if we’re trapped in a bubble.

“We’ll help,” Ava says. “Bran is like my bestie.”

“Everyone is your bestie,” Cecily points out.

“And you’re at the top and you love me.” She blows her kisses to which Cecily shakes her head again.

“Why not me?”

We all pause at Creighton’s calmly spoken words. He’s staring at me.

Dead on.

With those darkening heterochromia eyes and that stone-cold face.

I’ve never been under his scrutiny to this point of suffocating intensity.

The way he looks at me now is different.

He used to regard me with annoyance, blankness, or pure indifference.

There’s certainly no indifference now. It’s interest, but not the good type. Hell, it might as well be the dangerous type.

“Do you want it to be you?” Cecily asks slowly, almost carefully.

“Why not me?” he repeats, still staring at me, drilling holes in my face.

“I’m sure you wouldn’t be interested.” I’m surprised I sound collected, considering the war raging inside me.

“What if I am?”

I almost choke on my own drool. What is wrong with him tonight? He obviously did his best to scare me away, but now he wants to be my fake boyfriend?

“No,” I speak with more determination. “Bran is a better fit.”

“Why?”

“Because he says more than a few clipped words per month.” I smile at Ava. “I’m going to get something to drink. Want to come?”

“Sure.” She interlinks her arm with mine, and once we’re walking away, she whispers in my ear, “That was such a low blow. He’s glaring.”

I glance behind me, and sure enough, Creighton’s cold gaze follows my movements, his jaw set, his wicked lips thinned in a line and his arms taut.

I can’t help feeling a sense of apprehension or the lash of his anger that rolls over my skin.

It’s not like I did anything wrong. I only gave him a taste of his own medicine.

Still, I cut off eye contact first, willingly losing the battle.

Something tells me I poked the monster in his cave and he might come after me.





6





ANNIKA





Two small pointy ears, baby whiskers, and a pink nose are the definition of my weakness.

I hold up the tiny striped cat in my hand and pet his head. He rubs himself against my hand and a fuzzy feeling shoots down to the marrow of my bones.

He releases a soft mewl, a cry for affection, and my heart bleeds. “I’m so sorry you lost your mommy, Tiger. I promise to take care of you until you start to wreak havoc around here.”

I found him a few days ago on the side of the road in a box with three other kittens. The pouring rain and probably hunger killed all of them except for this tiny fighter. I hid him in my pocket and brought him to the animal shelter where I volunteer.

Dr. Stephanie was surprised Tiger didn’t meet his siblings’ tragic fate, but I was sure the little baby would survive.

“You’re a fighter, aren’t you?” I speak to him in a child’s voice, trying not to cry at the reminder of what happened to the other kittens.

I did cry at that time. They were so small and helpless and without a mother. I’m commissioning a voodoo doll to curse the heartless monster who threw them to the side of the road.

In the meantime, I’m pledging to protect this baby with my life. Every day, I come to help Dr. Stephanie with all the stray animals we get in the shelter, and when it’s my break time, I play with Tiger.