Page 10 of Cruel King

“I’m not anything with you. This is how I always act when somebody just shows up at my house and makes themselves at home.”

Ava shakes her head. “It’s your father’s house, not yours, and he’s told me more times than I can count that I’m welcome here whenever I want. He wouldn’t want anyone to be stuck in a house with no heat. That’s the only reason I came up here. Trust me. I want nothing more than to be as far away from you as possible.”

As I turn to walk out of the room, I mumble, “Then, by all means, do that.”

Since I have no need to walk down to the kitchen again, I make my way back to my room. Behind me, I hear footsteps, so I turn around to see Ava following me and practically glaring daggers at me.

“Are you lost? What do you want?” I ask, knowing how fucking terrible I sound right now. “I’d think after all the times you’ve been here that you’d know your way to the door.”

She stops and stares up at me in silence, but I’m sure she’s going to cry at any moment. Great. Just what I need today. Some sobbing girl disturbing my vacation.

But instead, she pokes her finger in the air toward me and snaps, “What have I ever done to you to make you hate me like this? I’m best friends with your brother, the one you’re closest to. I’d think that would at least show you I’m not some horrible person you have to be like this with.”

“Well, Theo’s not here, so you can leave whenever you’re ready. Now would be a good time.”

I’ve never understood how my brother could be best friends with this person. Who the hell is friends with girls? You either want to sleep with them or you don’t. I’m guessing he decided he doesn’t want to sleep with Ava, but for the life of me, I don’t understand why.

I stare down at her wondering where she gets her bravery from. Most people her size wouldn’t dare to ask me questions like she is.

Dark eyes fix on my face, like she’s trying to find the answer to that question she asked in my expression. That’s not where it is, little Ava.

She really is beautiful. I can’t figure out why Theo hasn’t made a move on her after all these years they’ve been hanging out. Then again, he does like blondes, and Ava has light brown hair. She’s also far less submissive than he generally likes his women. I can see that by the way she stabbed her finger at me a few seconds ago.

This one definitely has a backbone.

“Are you going to answer me?” she asks, tearing me out of my thoughts about how nice her mouth is.

I shrug and turn to keep walking toward my room. “No.”

Her footsteps behind me tell me she’s not going to take that as an answer, though.

CHAPTERFIVE

Ava

A mixtureof hurt and anger courses through me as I see him walk away without even being decent enough to answer me. I’m not done with him yet, though, so if he thinks just telling me no and leaving is going to end this, he’s crazy.

I’m going to find out right now what I’ve done to make Matthias King so nasty to me.

“Don’t walk away from me. I asked you a valid question. Why do you hate me so much?”

He finally stops and slowly turns around to look at me. I should be intimidated. He’s huge, and when he takes a step toward me, it’s like he’s some terrible overlord looming over me.

Matthias shrugs, clearly minimizing my question. “Hate would require me to feel something for you. I feel nothing for or about you. Maybe you’re just oversensitive.”

Rage explodes inside my brain. How is it someone so stunning can be so cruel to a person who’s never done a single thing to him?

“Oh, that’s right. Turn to the dick handbook and go with a classic. I’m the one who has the problem, not you. Right?”

His dark eyes stare into mine as if he’s hoping he can scare me off. When I don’t budge, he shrugs again in that infuriating way that tells me he’s amused at how upset I am.

“You said it, not me.”

God, he’s insufferable!

I take a big step toward him so barely a foot of space separates us. Jabbing my finger into his muscular chest, I tilt my head up and give him exactly what he deserves. “Don’t be a coward, Matthias. You obviously have some issue with me. Anyone with eyes can see it. So what is it?”

After rolling his eyes, he answers, “I have no problem with you, other than the fact that you’re a guest here who’s currently berating someone who actually lives here.”