“Where’s my guard?” I demand from the new guy.
“Dealing with the prick who walked in on you,” the guard responds sharply.
“I want to see him right now.”
“Why?”
“Who do you think you are?” I narrow my eyes at Jose. “Do you really want to disrespect your boss’s fiancée? Didn’t you just see what happened to your friend?”
He contemplates it for a few moments, and once he sighs, I know I’ve got him wrapped right around my little finger.
“Fine,” he finally says with some reluctance. “Come with me.”
Excited, I fall into step behind him and follow him downstairs into the basement, an area where I haven’t been yet. We pass multiple guards who at first seem shocked to see me there, but nobody says a word as Jose leads me deeper into the abyss of the house. Finally, we reach a large room with stone walls and floors. In the middle, the guard who saw me exposed earlier is tied to a chair. Antonio and a few other guards surround him. The man is bleeding, thick rivulets of blood dripping down from multiple gashes on his naked torso.
“Is he dead?” I whisper, making Antonio look at me over his shoulder.
“Tallulah...” He glares at me as if I’ve just upset him by showing up here. “What are you doing?”
“I wanted to see what was going to happen to him.” Curiously, I stare at the unmoving man in front of me. “So, is he?”
“Not yet,” Antonio admits, his voice troubled and tinged with sadness I can’t quite explain. I wonder whether it’s hard for him to kill this man. It shouldn’t be, given that these were Xavier’s orders. He should do whatever his boss tells him without question.
The other guards part to make way for me, and I approach the man, gently touching a gaping wound in his chest. He stirs awake, muttering something unintelligible as his head drops to the side and more blood pools at his feet.
“Did Xavier tell you to kill him?”
“Actually,” Antonio answers. “He told us to ask you what you want us to do to him.”
“Interesting.” I take a step back, still staring at the man who’s barely breathing. “So I get to decide?”
“Yes.”
We both turn around to the direction of the voice. Xavier’s standing at the entrance of the room, his eyes troubled as they find mine.
“Xavier...”
“What are you doing here, Tallulah?”
“Making sure you took care of this,” I explain, smiling sweetly. “Are you going to kill him?”
“Like Antonio just told you,” Xavier responds, taking a few steps closer. “It’s up to you. So what do you think, angel? Should he die for his crimes?”
I ponder his question. A side of me wants to forgive the man, to let him live despite what’s he’s witnessed. But there’s another part of me, a twisted, cruel side, that wants him to die. I tell myself he won’t have much of a life anyway, not with his extensive injuries. He’ll be scarred, not just physically, but mentally as well. And what kind of life would that be?
I turn to face Xavier with a light smile on my face as I make my decision.
“Kill him.”
Xavier’s lips quirk up at the corners as if he’s amused by my answer. He gives a slight nod to one of his men. The guard approaches the guy and, with a single flick of a knife, slices his throat open. I watch with morbid curiosity as the victim gurgles blood, and more dark scarlet liquid seeps over his still breathing torso.
“I have to say, I’m surprised,” Xavier tells me with an affectionate smile. “I thought you’d spare him.”
“And let him get away with what he saw?” I ask innocently, batting my lashes at my guardian. “Would you let him live for much longer after seeing me exposed like that?”
“That doesn’t matter now.” Xavier takes my hand and gently leads me away from the bloody massacre in the dungeons.
Once we’re alone, he flattens my back against the wall in the hallway and braces his palms on either side of me. My heart pounds with expectation as he lowers his lips to mine, but it doesn’t end in a kiss. Instead, the ghost of his touch sends goosebumps erupting over my skin as he makes his way down my face, my neck and my chest.
I’m so desperate for him to kiss me. To stop the terrible tension and just give me what I so desperately want. But he does not. Instead, he just leaves me wanting more before finally pulling away with a cruel smirk on his handsome face.
“You surprise me every day, Tallulah Gunn,” he mutters. “I didn’t think you had such a cruel streak... But I fucking love it.”
***
The next day, I’m once again alone with Antonio while Xavier runs errands in the city. I’m surprised he’s left me alone with the guard - since he’s so jealous, it’s a small wonder he’s letting me spend so much time alone with the guy. Xavier never explained where he went yesterday, despite my relentless questioning after he walked me back to my bedroom from the basement.