Tears welled in her eyes as he continued to massage her hands. The pain was excruciating, but she guessed it was better than the numbness.
Perhaps.
“You should have just killed me. Put me out of my misery. I suppose it’s not too late.”
“I’m no longer in the mood.”
Was that a joke? She had no idea whether to take him seriously or not.
“Look, I can’t even begin to guess why you’re doing this, but I’ll tell you something you’ll soon come to learn. You’re better off without me around.”
She guessed all her life everyone had been right. She was never going to become something better than her father.
It didn’t matter that she hadn’t know where the money came from or that there was blackmail material in that envelope.
She’d still helped Carl steal from the Iron Shadows.
So really, she deserved what she got.
“Now you look sad. Why?”
“I thought a woman’s tears didn’t affect you?” she asked with a sniffle.
Zander just grunted. When she snuck a peek at him, he looked confused.
“My hands are feeling better now, you can let go.”
They were still tingly, but she didn’t want him touching her anymore. His touch burned. It made her feel something she didn’t want to. Wasn’t interested in.
All men did was hurt her. She kept jumping from man to man, looking for . . . what? A white knight? A hero to save her? Someone to prove to her that not all men were violent, lying, mean assholes?
Zander definitely wasn’t going to be that guy. And considering he had jumped from contemplating killing her to apparently saving her in the space of half an hour . . .
Yeah, she wasn’t quite sure how sane he was.
He ignored her, rubbing her hands more.
“Didn’t you hear me?” She attempted to snatch her hands back again. Then hissed as fiery pain engulfed her side.
Ow. Ow. Ow.
Sore ribs. Sore body.
“What did I tell you about not moving?” he growled. “Stay still.”
“I want you to stop touching me.”
“Tough.”
“Tough? So you’re a bully who likes to touch women without permission?”
He snorted. Just snorted. What was that about?
“Do you always argue this much?” he asked.
“Only with people I really, really dislike.” She gave him a sugary sweet smile. It seemed to work at throwing him off balance.
But then he paused, drawing his hands away from hers.