The alcohol burned through my veins, but it was nothing compared to the fire in my chest. Every goddamn second of the night replayed in my mind like a taunt. The sight of Liam touching her, the smug smile on his face. I could practically feel the recoil of the gun in my hands, the satisfaction of unloading every last bullet into his skull. But no—my father had pulled the leash tighter. For now.
The party was a blur. Veronica clung to me like a lifeline, though I couldn't give a damn. I walked her to her door, watching her fumble with the keys, slurring her goodbyes. She wanted more. They always did. But I wasn't staying. My mind was somewhere else—someone else.
Grace.
I should've never let her leave like that. Should've never let him put his hands on her. The more I thought about it, the more unbearable the weight became. My fingers itched to wrap around Liam's throat, to remind him who the hell I was.
But when I pulled up outside her building, something snapped.
Liam's car. Parked. Sitting there like a goddamn declaration.
A guttural growl tore through me. What the fuck was he doing here? At this hour? Every step I took toward her door fueled the inferno inside me. My pulse pounded as I banged my fist against the door, the sound echoing through the empty hallway.
Silence.
I slammed harder.
Nothing.
I reached into my pocket, realizing too late that I didn't have her key. My jaw clenched so tightly it ached. Break the fucking door. The thought flashed through my mind like a wicked temptation. But then—the handle gave way.
Unlocked.
The air inside was thick, suffocating. I stepped in, and the scene that greeted me stripped every ounce of restraint I had left.
Liam.
Standing in the middle of the living room. Shirtless. Belt hanging loose around his waist. The scene was unexpected my blood ran cold Without hesitation, I barged into Grace's apartment to find her standing naked.
The room felt like it was closing in, my chest heaving with rage so consuming it threatened to tear me apart.
My fists clenched. The bastard barely had time to register my presence before I lunged. My hands found his throat, fingers tightening as I drove him backward. The force sent us crashing against the wall, the sickening thud echoing through the apartment. Liam's wide-eyed panic only fueled the storm within me.
Grace's frantic sobs rang in my ears, but they did nothing to pull me back. Her delicate hands tried to pry me away, trembling as she pleaded for me to stop. But the beast within me was unchained. I wasn't just angry; I was consumed. My vision blurred with crimson rage, and all I could see was Liam's face contorted in fear—the fear I wanted him to drown in.
I drove my knee into his stomach, the force knocking the air from his lungs. He gasped, clutching at my arms, but his strength was meaningless against the surge of adrenaline that coursed through me. Every muscle in my body strained as I slammed him against the wall once more, the drywall cracking under the impact.
"You thought you could touch her?" I growled, my voice raw with venom. "You thought I wouldn't find out?"
Liam's gasps for air were drowned out by the thunderous pounding of my heart. He was weak, pathetic. And yet, the thought of him anywhere near Grace ignited a deeper fury within me. My hand twisted into his hair, yanking his head back as I locked my gaze with his.
Grace's voice cracked through the chaos. "Sin, stop! Please, you're hurting him!"
But I couldn't stop. Not yet.
My hand moved to cover his nose, cutting off his air completely. The fear in his eyes was intoxicating. I wanted him to feel it—the same torment that gnawed at my soul. His body writhed beneath my grip, but it was useless. He was powerless, exactly how I wanted him.
As I rose from my position, Grace's piercing screams echoed through the room, her voice trembling with fear and disbelief. Tears streamed down her face, her delicate features contorted in anguish. But even as her sobs filled the air, she fought to steady herself, clutching the edge of the wall for support. My chest heaved, my knuckles still stained with the reminder of Liam's blood, and the violent storm inside me refused to calm.
Without thinking, I grabbed her, forcing her against the cold wall. The impact made her gasp, but she didn't pull away. Her wide eyes, shimmering with unshed tears, locked onto mine. I could feel the erratic beat of her heart beneath my fingertips as I slid my hands to her waist, urging her to entwine her legs around me. Her trembling thighs barely obeyed, the hesitation clear, but still, she held on.
My lips hovered just inches from her ear, my breath ragged.
"If I were to reveal to you that my true desires were different from what I initially expressed, would it change your stance on whether or not you want me to stay or leave?" I whispered, my voice low, almost menacing. The words dripped with both challenge and longing. "Are you still interested in having me stay, or are you interested in having me leave?"
She didn't answer. She couldn't. Her breath hitched, her lips trembling as she searched my face for something—anything. But all she would find was the twisted mess of desire and rage that consumed me. My ear pressed against her chest, and the erratic pulse beneath her skin only fed the possessive urge that burned within me.
Then, her lips met mine. Not in surrender, not in passion, but in desperation—a silent plea for both comfort and control. Her kiss was trembling and uncertain, yet it tethered me to the edge of sanity. My fingers dug into her thighs as I deepened the kiss, tasting the salt of her tears, feeling the tremors that racked her body.
But I couldn't stay. Not like this.
I pulled away, every fiber of my being screaming in protest. She knew it, too. Her hands lingered on my chest, as though holding me back would stop the inevitable. But I was already slipping away.
"I have to go," I rasped, the words catching in my throat.
Her eyes pleaded with me, begging for answers I couldn't give. And without another word, I tore myself away, the walls of her apartment closing in behind me. The storm within me raged on, but even as I left, her touch burned into my skin—a reminder that no matter how far I ran, I would never outrun what she made me feel.