Lahat ng Kabanata ng It Kills Me: A Forbidden Dark Romance: Kabanata 221 - Kabanata 230

I was awake most of the night.My heart still raced like I was on a treadmill rather than tucked into bed. The downstairs was a mess, the glass left to be cleaned tomorrow. I stared at the ceiling or the light peeking through the curtains over the window.Bolton was passed out beside me, knocked out the second he hit the bed because he was dead drunk. He snored too, something he never did.My phone lit up on the nightstand beside me.It was three in the morning. And only one person would text me at that hour.I just need to know you’re okay.I glanced at Bolton beside me, feeling guilty for doing something I shouldn’t, but Theo’s message drilled straight into my soul. I’m okay.The three dots didn’t return.I stared at the screen and waited for them, even hoped for them. But nothing came. I didn’t tell him.I know.He asked what we talked about, and I said you just wanted to check on me.You don’t need to lie for me, sweetheart. I’m not afraid of him.I don’t want anything to happen t

“Trust me, he doesn’t give a fuck who hears. He could shoot someone in the head at a stoplight, and the cops would just drive by. He didn’t shoot them because he didn’t kill them. Because it was a setup to make you terrified to ever leave him.”My panicked breathing continued, unsure what to believe. “He—he wouldn’t lie to me.”“Would I lie to you, sweetheart?”My eyes flicked away, unsure who to believe. I could look past Bolton’s mistakes, but not this one. I’d never been so scared in my entire life. I’d thought I was about to be raped in that dark little room. There was no way that Bolton would let me be traumatized like that to get what he wanted. “I know Bolton is a lot of things, but he wouldn’t do that.”All Theo did was stare at me. Didn’t press his argument. There was no judgment in his eyes.“You weren’t there. You don’t have any proof.”“Alright,” Theo said in defeat. “For what it’s worth, I hope I’m dead wrong. Your woman is the person you’re supposed to protect with your

I opened my drawer and pulled out the cash from the envelope. I tossed it on the bed before I headed to the bathroom.“I told you it was on the house, honey.”“I don’t want your fucking pity,” I snapped. “Now, get out.” I stepped into the shower and scrubbed the sweat away before I dried off and looked at myself in the mirror. My face hollow. My eyes dead. Bones frozen solid.When I returned to the bedroom, Andrea was gone.The money was still there.I put it back in the envelope and stuffed it back in the drawer.A quiet knock sounded on the door from the other room.“What?” I said loudly, knowing it was my butler now that my guest had left.He appeared in the open doorway. “Sir, Scarlett is downstairs. Should I⁠—”“No!”He lingered for a moment, taken aback by the tone of my voice. “Of course, sir. I’ll tell her you’ve retired for the evening.”“Tell her to fuck off for all I care.”He left.I pulled on a clean pair of boxers and sweatpants. It was too early for bed, so I would prob

Okay. He gave me the assurance I wanted, even though it could all be lies, but it made me feel better anyway.I drank my wine again and noticed a light from a screen on the corner of the counter.It was his tablet, the cover open just enough for the screen to light up when a message went through.I assumed it was my message that had made it light up.But it lit up again…and again.I should ignore it because I never snooped in his stuff. He didn’t put a password on his phone, so I assumed if he was that transparent, he had nothing to hide. But after everything we’d been through, I had a nagging feeling in my stomach.Who was he texting at three in the morning?It was just his guys, probably. Just about work, probably.But I couldn’t stop thinking about it.If I just look at the messages, it’ll put my mind at ease and I can go to bed.I set down my wine and walked over to the counter. He must have meant to take it with him and set it on the counter but forgot to stuff it into his bag. I

“For what?”“It still hurts you.”“If Scarlett died, would it ever stop hurting?”He looked down into his glass and shook the cubes to dodge the question.I stared at his shirt and the big stain that still sat there. “You look like shit, by the way.”He didn’t glance down like he already knew it was there. “I’m so used to it, I don’t even notice.”“Not gonna lie, that sounds fucking terrible.”Axel smirked. “Yes, you’ve made it clear how you feel about kids, Theo.”“I love your kids, for what it’s worth. But I can’t imagine doing it myself.”“If Shayla puked all over you, would that bother you?”She had puked all over me. “No.”“It’s like that. When you take your dog for a walk, you don’t mind picking up his shit. But another dog’s shit, forget about it. There’s this haze that settles over everything and makes even the most mundane things sparkle.”“I’ll just have to take your word for it.”Scarlett walked into the room, her eyes tired and her shirt wrinkled. “Glad you two made up.”A