Page 158 of The Betrayal

“I've watched you long enough to know how you work, hard exterior most of the time, but inside, you're nothing but fluff. I will rip you limb from limb and pull the stuffing out of you. I am ready to make those who wronged me feel pain.”

Confusion lays heavy over me.

“What have I got to do with any of that shit you're spilling?” I suck in a breath, my cheek bone and jaw throbbing from the contact.

“Well, for one, you're carrying my babies,” he grins, dimples presenting in his cheeks and my stomach rolls with nausea. “Thank you for giving me your purity…” he rubs his hands together, “after being promised a virgin and given a whore, it was only right I took from you what was taken from me.”

“You're talking in riddles,” my voice trembles, but I know deep down where this conversation is going.

“Am I, Arizona?” he cocks his head as he walks to the foot of the bed. “For someone who was well ahead of their class, you're pretty thick,” he narrows his gaze on me, running his tongue over the front of his teeth.

I choose to ignore him, and instead, goad him. I want to hear the words come from his mouth.

“Pretty scar you have on your neck, shame they didn't cut a little deeper. I wouldn't have missed. I would have watched you bleed out at my feet and felt no remorse,” I smirk, and I see how angry he becomes. He slowly steps around the bed and leans over me so his face is inches from mine. His hand is back round my cheeks, forcing me to look at him. The taste of copper fills my mouth, but I ignore it. Focused on looking at this coward in the eyes.

“You've kidnapped me for what reason? To prove something? To get the person who sliced your throat back here so you can take everything from him?”

A slow sickening smile pulls at the corner of his lips and my stomach rolls.

“I see you've worked it out.” I swallow down the bile that is threatening to come up.

“Your dad did say how smart you were,” and that's when I realize how this all loops back to my dad and Amora.

Promised a virgin.

His throat was cut on his wedding morning and left for dead.

But here he is. In front of me and with revenge in his blood.

I spit in his face, and he growls, wiping it off his face before another slap crashes against my skin.

“Enjoy the last few hours with those precious babies of yours, because soon, I will be cutting them out of you,” he pushes my face back into my pillow with force and I am trying my hardest not to cry. “And don't think your daddy is coming to save you, he has no idea where you are.”

I wince when the bedroom door slams shut and realization seeps in.

I am going to die here.

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

KEATON

I went home last night after everything with Titus and Ari. I needed to give her space, and honestly, I needed some thinking time, so I got started on the nursery. I cleaned the room of the boxes and placed them in the spare room. I stripped the wallpaper and painted the walls with an off-white paint. I had no idea how Ari wanted to decorate but I thought if we had a blank canvas, it would make it easier for her. I worked through the night and ignored the way my body cried for sleep. I wasn't giving in. I couldn't. I had too many emotions plaguing me. And now, I was driving to the hospital with Ari's favorite coffee and pastry. I'm nervous but excited. She won’t forgive easily, she is her father’s daughter after all.

Pulling into a space, I pull the sun visor down and slide the little cover across and wince when I see my face. One eye purple, lips swollen, and nose bruised and crooked. He definitely broke it. Sighing, I grab the coffee and slam the car door shut. Paying the meter, I slowly walk into the hospital and ignore the way people stare at me. I have no idea if they're even going to let me in the ward after yesterday, I mean, I wouldn't. Me and Titus were possessed. Anger got too much, and we snapped. It was going to happen. Of course it was. But I never thought he would walk away from me; I never thought our friendship would be over that quickly, but here we are.

Walking into the ward, I head for her room. I don't look at anyone, don't speak to anyone, just keep my head down but as I approach, people are standing outside her room. Two of them people being Kyra and Becca. Their voices quieten down as I approach, and I see worry etched into Kyra's face.

I ignore it, pushing down the gut feeling that something is wrong and walk into the empty room.

“Where the fuck is my wife?” I turn out of the room and my eyes are on Kyra.

“We have no idea, I thought after yesterday you or her dad may have taken her.”

“Why would we take her out of hospital when we know she has to be here?” It doesn't make sense.

But then it does.

Fucking Titus.