Chapter 54 FIFTY-FOUR

Chapter 54 FIFTY-FOUR
J A D E

He was insufferable. 

How could one person be so arrogant, so maddeningly sure of himself? And yet, how could my body betray me so completely, responding to him with a fervor that both terrified and excited me?

The silence in the car was suffocating, thick with everything we weren't saying. I stared out the window, watching the city blur past, my mind a tangled mess of anger, desire, and a deep, bone chilling fear.

I was playing with fire, and I was going to get burned. Or worse, I was going to get us both killed.

"Still mad at me?" he asked, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through me.

"What do you think?" I snapped, refusing to look at him.

"I think you're confused," he said, his tone infuriatingly calm. "And I think you're scared."

I scoffed. "Of you? Don't flatter yourself."

"Of this," he corrected, gesturing between us. "Of what's happening between us. You can't control it, and it drives you crazy."
I didn't have an answer for that, because he was right. The connection between us was wild, untamable, and it scared the hell out of me.

He pulled into the parking garage, the engine cutting off with a final growl. The sudden silence was even more deafening than before.

"We need to talk," he said, his voice serious.

"I have nothing to say to you," I retorted, my hand on the door handle. "Let's just get these inside and forget this whole day ever happened."

"We both know that's not going to happen," he said, his gaze unwavering.

I sighed, my shoulders slumping in defeat. He was right. There was no escaping this, no pretending that everything was okay.

We unloaded the groceries in a tense silence, the plastic bags rustling like whispers in the quiet hallway. The sound of the key in the lock was unnaturally loud, a prelude to the conversation I was dreading.

Once inside, he placed the bags on the counter and turned to face me, his expression unreadable.

"Jade," he said, his voice low. "We can't keep doing this."

"Doing what?" I asked, my heart pounding in my chest.

"This," he said, gesturing between us. "The fighting, the denial, the pretending that we don't want to rip each other's clothes off every second of the day."

"I don't want to rip your clothes off," I lied, my cheeks flushing.

He chuckled, the sound sending shivers down my spine. "Really? So that wasn't you this morning, moaning my name, begging me for more?"

I glared at him, my hands clenching into fists. "That was a mistake. A lapse in judgment. It won't happen again."

"A mistake?" he repeated, his eyes flashing with anger. "Is that what you call it? Because it didn't feel like a mistake to me. It felt like destiny. It felt like coming home."

His words hit me with the force of a physical blow, knocking the air out of my lungs. I stumbled back, my hand flying to my chest.

"Destiny?" I scoffed, my voice shaking. "Don't you dare talk to me about destiny. You're a monster, a liar, a manipulative bastard. You have no right to talk about destiny."

"And what are you, Jade?" he shot back, his voice rising. "A victim? A martyr? You're so busy playing the victim that you can't see what's right in front of you."

"What's that?" I challenged, my chin held high.

"Me," he said, his voice softening. "Us. The connection that we share, the bond that can't be broken. You can deny it all you want, but it's true. And deep down, you know it. I didn’t make myself what I am. A possessive and jealous woman who wanted me for herself cast this curse. I didn’t have a choice. But you… you have a choice, and you’re choosing to be miserable."

I stared at him, my mind reeling. He was right, and I hated him for it. I was so focused on my pain, my anger, that I was pushing away the one person who understood me, the one person who could make me whole.

"You don't know anything about me," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

"I know more than you think," he said, his gaze piercing. "I know that you're strong, that you're a survivor. I know that you've been hurt, that you've been through hell. But I also know that you're not broken. You're not a victim. You're a warrior, and you're fighting a battle that you can't win on your own. And I want to help you."

"Why?" I asked, my voice trembling. "Why would you want to help me?"

"Because I care about you," he said, his voice raw with emotion. "Because I can't stand to see you in pain. Because I'm in love with you."

The words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. I stared at him, my heart pounding in my chest. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"You... you don't mean that," I stammered, my mind reeling.

"Yes, I do," he said, his gaze unwavering. "I've been in love with you since the moment I met you, even if it was only for a short while. And I know you feel the same way. You can deny it all you want, but it's true. The connection between us is real, and it's not going away."

I opened my mouth to protest, but no words came out. He was right. I did feel the same way. I was in love with him, and it terrified me.

"I can't," I finally managed to say, my voice cracking. "I can't do this. I can't be with you. Not after what you've done. Not after what you are."

"Then let me make it up to you," he pleaded, his eyes filled with desperation. "Let me prove to you that I'm not the monster you think I am. Give me a chance, Jade. Please."

I looked into his eyes, and I saw the truth in them. He was telling the truth. He was in love with me, and he was willing to do whatever it took to prove it.

But I just couldn’t bring myself to trust him. I've been through too much to just let my guard down again.

"Markov," I said, my voice firm. "I can't. I'm sorry."

His face fell, the hope in his eyes replaced by a deep, gut-wrenching sadness.

"I understand," he said, his voice heavy with defeat. "But I'm not giving up on us, Jade. I'll wait for you. No matter how long it takes."

He turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, my heart aching with a pain so intense, it was almost unbearable.