AUTHOR
The three words hung in the air, a confession that seemed to suck all the oxygen from the room.
I want you.
But she hadn't begged. The bargain, his ultimatum, remained unfulfilled. The victory was only half-won, and they both knew it.
The horror on her face was palpable. She looked like she wanted to vomit the words back up. And then, fueled by that same furious self-loathing, she doubled down, her voice a raw, torn thing.
"I want you," she repeated, the admission ripped from her throat. "And it's so fucking annoying."
A harsh, ragged breath escaped her. "Because I hate you. And I know you're just using me. We're both just using each other. It's a transaction. I get it. So just... just stop with the games and—"
She cut herself off, her chest heaving, her eyes glittering with a mixture of fury and desperate, humiliating want.
Across from her, Reomen was a statue. Her words hadn't just shocked him; they had detonated something deep inside him.
