Page 21 of Merciless Angel
After taking off my makeup and grabbing a quick shower, I changed into a bright yellow t-shirt and a pair of pink shorts. I was about to crawl into bed when there was a knock at the door.
Half expecting to see one or all of the Angels, I peered through the peephole. Zane stood on the other side. Releasing an exasperated sigh, I pulled open the door.
“Zane, what are you doing here? I’m tired. I was just about to get into bed.”
He didn’t wait for an invitation. Knowing that he wouldn’t get one, he shoved past me, bursting into the room. He reeked like alcohol.
Ripping the door from my grasp, he slammed it shut. “Care to explain what the fuck I saw tonight? What were you doing with that asshole?”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I glared. “I don’t owe you an explanation for anything. My personal life is none of your business, Zane. Get out of my room.”
Zane slammed a fist into the wall next to where I stood. “Fuck that. You were supposed to be mine. I have every right to know if you’re fucking that Angel bastard. You know they kill people, right? Why would you want to be involved with someone like that?”
I jumped at his sudden display of temper. “I’m not yours. I never will be. Please leave.”
That wasn’t what Zane wanted to hear. He stormed over to my desk and slammed a fist down on top. Then he snatched up my laptop and threw it to the floor.
“You don’t get to decide when this is over,” he shouted, his face an angry shade of red. Veins bulged in his temples. He clenched both fists, like he didn’t know what to smash next.
“Stop it,” I cried, picking my laptop off the floor. “You can’t just burst in here and trash the place. Who do you think you are?”
Zane fell heavily onto the small couch, his head in his hands. His shoulders shook with tension. “Why, Clover? Why those guys? I thought you were better than that.”
Trying to keep calm, I took a deep breath. “There’s nothing going on with the Angels. Even if there was, I don’t owe you anything. We are not together, Zane. You have to accept that. It’s time to move on.”
Gripping his blond hair with both fists, he pulled hard and gave a frustrated shout. “I don’t want to move on without you. I know that I’ve fucked up, okay? Isn’t there anything I can do to prove myself to you? Why won’t you give me another chance?”
Maybe it was the alcohol I’d had earlier, or maybe it was the high of being with Blaze. Something empowered me to stand my ground without fear or trepidation. I was tired of Zane’s shit.
“You had your chance, and you blew it the night you put your hands on me,” I said, my voice tinged with growing anger. “I won’t forgive that, and I shouldn’t have to. I’d rather be with guys like the Angels any day than with someone like you.”
The words poured out, lashing at Zane like a weapon. He came off the couch like a bullet. Grabbing me by both arms, Zane shoved me down onto the bed. His hand moved like a blur as it cracked against my face.
He hit me. He really fucking hit me.
“Are you really stupid enough to believe those fucks wouldn’t do so much worse to you if they got the chance?” His hand came down again, backhanding me so hard I saw stars. “I treated you good. Better than you deserved. You’re nothing. You’re nobody. I made you, Clover, and I can break you too.”
After the third hit, I burst into tears. “Stop it, Zane. Please stop.”
I got both hands up in front of me to ward off any further blows. He hesitated then, like he realized how far he’d gone. Suddenly, he got off me, shoving away.
Vigorously shaking his head, he said, “I didn’t want to hurt you. You made me so damn mad. I don’t know why you can’t see that we belong together. This wouldn’t have happened if you’d been more reasonable.”
A glance at my bare wrist reminded me that I’d left the pink alert bracelet in the bathroom when showering. Zane stood between me and the bathroom door. I could go for my phone where it sat on the desk, but would he stop me from calling for help?
Wary of triggering more crazy behavior, I slowly sat up. My face ached, and I tasted blood. “Get out, Zane. Now. Before I call the cops.”
I didn’t expect my threat to work. Thankfully, it did. Zane punched one more hole in the wall before storming from the room and slamming the door behind him. I hurried over to turn the deadbolt before sinking to the floor.
Wrapping my arms around my knees, I sat against the door while hot tears slid down my battered face. I knew that if I alerted the Angels, they would kill him. Did I want that?
Part of me did. Part of me wanted to make him suffer. To make sure he could never hurt anyone again. And yet, I couldn’t bring myself to get off the floor and make it happen. Knowing that I had the power to make Zane pay froze me in place.
The sun was already cresting over the horizon when I got up and threw myself on the bed. My face and head hurt like hell. I wasn’t ready to see the damage. My swollen lip felt three times its usual size. My eyelid felt puffy.
I begged for sleep to take me. All I wanted to do was escape.
CHAPTER ELEVEN