Chapter Eight 

Killian's Point of View

I laughed before finally walking away from her, mainly because if I stayed any closer, the little vixen might 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 gaze sharpened instantly, although that only made her look damn sexy.

—You're out of your mind, you idiot.

That only made my smile widen.

God, she looked adorable when she was angry, which was a shame because the last thing he needed was to find Jerold's daughter attractive while he was plotting how to use her against him.

"Probably," I admitted lazily.

What was funny was how much she tried to avoid me after that. Gabriella packed her clothes aggressively, folded her shirts as if they had personally offended her, and flatly refused to even go near the bathroom because, apparently, leaving me alone in her room for five minutes seemed too risky.

Smart girl, very smart.

Watching her get flustered every few seconds shouldn't be so entertaining, and yet it was becoming dangerously addictive. Perhaps the Moon Goddess finally decided she deserved some compensation after years of watching my mother force smiles next to that manipulative bastard she called her husband.

Jerold.

Just thinking about his name irritated me. That man destroyed lives while pretending to be honorable, and now fate thought it would be funny to permanently tie me to his daughter? Complete bullshit.

Unfortunately for Gabriella, she was right in the middle of my revenge.

The worst part? I didn't even know yet.

"You know," I said casually as I leaned against the wardrobe, "most women would be very happy to be trapped alone in a room with me."

Gabriella sighed without even looking up from her suitcase.  

—Most women probably need therapy too.

I almost burst out laughing.

There she was; like mother, like daughter: that sharp mouth, that attitude, that constant need to fight with me even while her body betrayed her every five seconds.

Honestly, if she stopped glaring at me for a full minute, I might start to worry about her health.

"I was starting to miss your attitude," I admitted.

That made her pause briefly before looking at me suspiciously.

—You barely know me.

—And somehow you're already obsessed with me.

Her eyes opened immediately.

—I'd rather throw myself into traffic.

—Dramatic.

—Am I being dramatic? You're 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 things could get. For now, I was just pushing buttons, testing reactions, learning weaknesses. Eventually, Jerold would feel every bit of the damage he'd caused, and his precious daughter would unknowingly hand me the weapon to do it.

Even so… there was something about the way she looked standing there in oversized sleepwear while trying her hardest not to react to me that was becoming a problem.

A very dangerous problem, because I was supposed to use it… not enjoy it.

"Not yet," I murmured before I could stop myself.

Silence fell immediately, drowning out every second.

Gabriella slowly looked up this time, and for the first time since we entered the room, the anger in her expression softened a little. That look in her eyes was no longer irritating.

It was caution, as if he was finally beginning to realize that he wasn't joking half as much as he was pretending.

Smart girl.

Unfortunately for both of them, he was still unsure whether that would save her or destroy her faster.

Before we got out of the car, Gabriella suddenly stood in front of me with her suitcase blocking the door like an angry little guard dog trying to stop a wolf.

How nice.

"I don't know exactly what you're planning," she said firmly, keeping her voice low enough so Jacob wouldn't hear her downstairs. "But I know you're behind this whole moving arrangement."

I leaned lazily against the wall, observing her intently.

God, she looked good when she was angry.

"And believe me," she continued, her eyes sharp with warning, "I won't warn you twice. Stay the hell away from me, from Jacob, and especially from our marriage."

The words should have bothered me.

Instead, they almost made me laugh.

"If you've never been rejected before," she added firmly, gripping the suitcase handle, "I'll be happy to be your first. Alpha or not."

A smile slowly tugged at my lips before I could stop it.

Interesting.

Most people feared me enough to avoid direct eye contact after a single warning, and yet here was Jerold's daughter looking at me as if I actually planned to go to war with me if necessary.

For some reason, I liked that fire in her eyes much more than I should have.

"Are you finished yet?" I asked gently.

-No.

"Fine." My smile widened slightly as I took another step closer. "Honestly, I'd be disappointed if you made it easy for me, you little vixen."

His expression hardened instantly.

—There is no such thing as “this”.

—How adorable.

—I'm serious.

-Me too.

The problem was… she still thought this was something she could control.

I thought that if I fought hard enough, ignored me long enough, hated me hard enough, eventually the bond would disappear and life would go back to normal.

Unfortunately for Gabriella, nothing about this situation was normal anymore, and deep down…

I think a part of her was also starting to realize it.

Footsteps sounded from below before Jacob finally appeared at the top of the stairs, a box in one hand and the car keys in the other. The second Gabriella heard him, she instantly moved away from me as if the few inches between us had suddenly become dangerous.

Interesting.

"Have you finished trying to kill each other up there?" Jacob asked with a tired laugh as he approached.

Gabriella quickly grabbed her suitcase before answering.  

—Believe me, I'm trying.

I chuckled as Jacob shook his head as if all this was normal.

Poor bastard.

"It looks like I won't be able to follow you to the pack house right away," Jacob said, adjusting the box in his hand. "Something came up at work, so I'll probably join you later tonight."

Gabriella immediately looked up.  

—Aren't you coming with us?

The question came out faster than she intended, laced with enough disappointment and nervousness to reveal more than she probably wanted, and judging by how her heart suddenly changed its rhythm, Gabriella realized it instantly.

Jacob sighed apologetically.  

"I have to finish a few things first... You'll be fine without me. I just need to meet with your father."

A lazy laugh escaped me before I could stop it, which made them both look at me immediately.

"What?" Jacob asked, already half laughing to himself.

I shrugged casually.

—It's starting to look like you're actually married to his father and to your job.

Jacob let out another laugh as he pointed at me.  

—Okay, what exactly is that supposed to mean?

I slowly adjusted the sleeves of his shirt before answering.

—It means that if you continue to give more attention to work and all your other responsibilities than to your actual wife, don't be surprised when someone else ends up filling that space for you.

Silence fell in the hallway immediately. It wasn't loud or dramatic, but it was enough.

Jacob still looked amused, probably taking my words as just another harmless joke between best friends, but Gabriella…

God.

I turned to face her slowly and almost smiled because I could literally hear her heart pounding from where I stood. Her grip tightened around the suitcase handle instantly as her eyes locked onto mine, filled with panic, rage, and something far more dangerous lurking beneath both.

There it was again, that fear lurking behind her eyes, except it wasn't really fear of me anymore. No. Gabriella seemed more terrified of herself and what she was slowly beginning to feel, which honestly made the whole situation far more interesting than it should have been.

Jacob laughed as he shook his head.  

—You really enjoy talking nonsense.

My eyes never left Gabriella's face.

"Should I do it?" I asked gently.

"Yes," Jacob replied easily. "You always overthink things."

A smile slowly tugged at my lips.

"No," I murmured softly, still staring directly at Gabriella. "I just notice things other people ignore."

Her breathing changed instantly, and that alone told me enough.

Let the games begin.