Bound By Blood
He studied me in silence for several long seconds, the weight of his gaze pressing down like a vice.
“You’re nervous,” he said finally, tilting his glass, watching the amber liquid swirl.
I clenched my hands in my lap. “Shouldn’t I be?”
His lips curved slightly—not a smile, but something close. “You’re honest. I prefer that to false bravado.”
My breath hitched. I hadn’t expected that either.
“You’ve heard things about me,” he went on, his tone calm, conversational. “That I’m ruthless. That I kill without blinking. That I am—” his eyes flicked up to mine, sharp as a blade “—a monster.”