Chapter eight
1501 Words
Chapter eight
Killian’s POV
I laughed before finally stepping away from her, mostly because if I stayed any closer, the little fox might either slap me or have a nervous breakdown.
“You should see the look on your face right now,” I murmured, still amused. “It’s a masterpiece.”
Her glare sharpened instantly, yet it made her look badly sexy.
“You are sick in the head, asshole.”
That only made me grin wider.
God, she looked cute when she was angry, which was unfortunate because the last thing I needed was to find Jerold’s daughter attractive while plotting how to use her against him.
“Probably,” I admitted lazily.
The funny part was how hard she tried to avoid me after that. Gabriella packed clothes aggressively, folded shirts like they personally offended her existence, and completely refused to even step toward the bathroom because apparently leaving me alone inside her room for five minutes felt too risky.
Smart girl, very smart girl.
Watching her get flustered every few seconds should not have been this entertaining, yet somehow it was becoming dangerously addictive. Maybe the Moon Goddess finally decided I deserved compensation after years of watching my mother force smiles beside that manipulative bastard she called a husband.
Jerold.
Even thinking his name irritated me, that man destroyed lives while pretending to be honorable, and now fate thought it would be funny to tie me permanently to his daughter? Absolute bullshit.
Unfortunately for Gabriella, she happened to be standing directly in the middle of my revenge.
The worst part? She didn’t even know it yet.
“You know,” I said casually while leaning against the closet, “most women would be very happy being trapped in a room alone with me.”
Gabriella scoffed without even looking up from the suitcase. “Most women probably need therapy too.”
A laugh almost escaped me.
There she was; like father, like daughter; that sharp mouth, that attitude, that constant need to fight me even while her body betrayed her every five seconds.
Honestly, if she stopped glaring at me for one full minute, I might actually start worrying about her health.
“I was starting to miss your attitude,” I admitted.
That made her pause briefly before she looked at me suspiciously.
“You’ve barely known me.”
“And somehow you’re already obsessed with me.”
Her eyes widened instantly.
“I would rather throw myself into traffic.”
“Dramatic.”
“I am dramatic? You are literally ruining my life, and you find it entertaining.”
Not yet, the thought crossed my mind so naturally it almost made me laugh, because if I truly wanted to ruin her life, Gabriella still had no idea how ugly this could become. Right now I am only pushing buttons, testing reactions, learning weaknesses. Eventually, Jerold would feel every bit of damage he caused, and his precious daughter would unknowingly hand me the weapon to do it.
Still… Something about the way she looked standing there in oversized sleeping clothes while trying so hard not to react to me was becoming a problem.
A very dangerous problem, because I was supposed to be using her…not enjoying her.
“Not yet,” I murmured before I could stop myself.
Silence followed immediately, drowning every second.
Gabriella slowly looked up at me this time, and for the first time since entering the room, the anger in her expression eased slightly, that look in her eyes wasn’t irritating anymore.
It was a caution, like she was finally starting to realize I wasn’t joking half as much as I pretended to.
Smart girl.
Unfortunately for both of us, I still wasn’t sure whether that would save her or destroy her faster.
Before we even got downstairs, Gabriella suddenly stepped in front of me with her suitcase blocking the doorway like a tiny angry guard dog trying to stop a wolf.
Cute.
“I don’t know what exactly you’re planning,” she said firmly, keeping her voice low enough so Jacob wouldn’t hear downstairs. “But I know you’re behind this whole moving arrangement.”
I leaned against the wall lazily, watching her carefully.
God, she looked good angry.
“And trust me,” she continued, eyes sharp with warning, “I won’t warn you twice. Stay the f**k away from me, Jacob, and most especially our marriage.”
The words should’ve annoyed me.
Instead, they almost made me laugh.
“If you’ve never been rejected before,” she added firmly while tightening her grip on the suitcase handle, “I’ll happily be your first. Alpha or no Alpha.”
A grin slowly pulled at my lips before I could stop it.
Interesting.
Most people feared me enough to avoid direct eye contact after one warning, yet here stood Jerold’s daughter looking at me like she genuinely planned on going to war with me if necessary.
For some reason, I liked that fire in her eyes far more than I should have.
“Are you done?” I asked softly.
“No.”
“Good.” My grin widened slightly as I stepped closer. “I’d honestly be disappointed if you made this easy for me, little fox.”
Her expression hardened instantly.
“There is no ‘this.’”
“That’s adorable.”
“I mean it.”
“So do I.”
The problem was… she still thought this was something she could control.
She thought if she fought hard enough, ignored me long enough, hated me loudly enough, eventually the bond would disappear and life would return to normal.
Unfortunately for Gabriella, nothing about this situation was normal anymore, and deep down?
I think part of her was already starting to realize it too.
Footsteps sounded from downstairs before Jacob finally appeared at the top of the staircase carrying a box in one hand and his car keys in the other. The second Gabriella heard him, she instantly stepped away from me like the few inches between us had suddenly become dangerous.
Interesting.
“You two are done trying to kill each other up here?” Jacob asked with a tired laugh as he walked closer.
Gabriella grabbed her suitcase quickly before answering. “Trust me, I’m trying.”
I chuckled under my breath while Jacob shook his head like this was all normal.
Poor bastard.
“Looks like I won’t be able to follow you both to the pack house immediately,” Jacob said while adjusting the box in his hand. “Something came up at work, so I’ll probably join you later tonight.”
Gabriella looked up immediately. “You’re not coming with us?”
The question came out faster than she intended, carrying just enough disappointment and nervousness to expose more than she probably wanted, and judging from the way her heartbeat suddenly shifted, Gabriella realized it immediately too.
Jacob sighed apologetically. “I have to finish some things first.. You will be fine without me, I just have to meet up with your father.”
A lazy laugh slipped out of me before I could stop it, which made the both of them look at me instantly.
“What?” Jacob asked, already half laughing himself.
I shrugged casually.
“It’s starting to look like you’re actually married to her father and work.”
Jacob barked out another laugh while pointing at me. “Okay, what exactly is that supposed to mean?”
I adjusted the sleeves of his shirt slowly before answering.
“It means if you keep giving your work and every other responsibility more attention than your cactual wife, don’t act shocked when somebody else eventually fills that space for you.”
Silence hit the hallway immediately. It wasn’t loud or dramatic, but it was just enough.
Jacob still looked amused, probably taking my words as another harmless joke between best friends, but Gabriella…
God.
I turned toward her slowly and almost smiled because I could literally hear how violently her heart was beating from where I stood. Her grip tightened around the suitcase handle instantly while her eyes locked onto mine with panic, anger, and something much more dangerous buried underneath both.
There it was again, that fear hidden behind her eyes, except it wasn’t really fear of me anymore. No, Gabriella looked more terrified of herself and whatever she was slowly starting to feel, which honestly made this whole situation far more interesting than it should have been.
Jacob chuckled while shaking his head. “You seriously enjoy saying nonsense.”
My eyes never left Gabriella’s face.
“Do I?” I asked softly.
“Yes,” Jacob replied easily. “You always think too much.”
A smirk slowly pulled at my lips.
“No,” I murmured quietly while still staring directly at Gabriella. “I just notice things other people ignore.”
Her breathing shifted instantly, and that alone told me enough.
Let the games begin.
- Writer
