Page 9 of Overdosed: Her Dark Side
“You’re mine now, Melanie. You made a deal, remember? You wanted me to help you, and in return, you belong to me.”
Panic surged through me. I tried to yank my arm free, but his grip was too strong. “That’s not what we agreed on, Anders!” I hissed.
Anders’ expression darkened even more. He tightened his grip on my arm and pulled me closer.“You humiliated me tonight. It can’t happen again, you hear me? You’re mine now, and until the deal is over, there’s no escape.”
“You’re sick.” I used all my force to snatch my arm away from his bruising grip.
“Not more than my dear brother.” An amused, wicked grin curled his lips. “I am the sole means to ensure safety for you and your daughter. Don’t forget that, love.”
I stepped back, slowly realizing what I had gotten myself into. I was caught in a dangerous game, and now, I had to play by his rules.
I heard a few knocks on the door followed by the husky, way too familiar voice. “Melanie?”
I nearly jumped out of my skin. Shane. I looked at Anders. My eyes grew wide, adrenaline flooding my veins.
“I know you’re in there. I saw my car parked in front of the house.” Shane’s voice echoed from behind the door, and my heart skipped a few beats.
Fuck! I forgot I took his car.
Ander gave me a questioning, scolding, disapproving kind of glance. His lips pulled together, his neck stretched.
“Don’t make me break the door,” Shane persisted.
Knowing him, I was sure he wouldn’t let go and just leave. And it wouldn’t be an issue at all if it wasn’t for one tiny detail—Hope. She was there, upstairs with Betty, her nanny. In the very same house that Shane was about to barge in. What a disaster.
Anders shook his head, squeezing the bridge of his nose before he looked at me, and I saw a wicked glint in his eyes. He began to undo his shirt, grinning in the most twisted way I’d ever seen.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I semi-whispered, semi-yelled, panicking.
Shane’s voice grew more impatient, “Melanie, open the damn door.”
“We have to make this more believable. I don’t want this bastard to question us again. So play along, or he’ll find out about the baby, darling,” he whispered against my ear, his breath sweeping my neck sent dreadful chills down my back.
I knew I had to dance to his tune. At least for now. I couldn’t let Shane find out about Hope. I had to protect her. At all costs. That was why I agreed to take part in this wicked game in the first place. To play this deadly game of chess with the devils themselves.
“You’re sick, Anders. All Vergoossens are the same. Sick to the core.” I clenched my teeth, looking at him with so much anger.
Anders smirked, throwing his shirt open, and revealing his bare torso. He leaned to my ear, his hand slid at the back of my neck.
“Don’t forget the Vergoossen blood runs through your daughter’s veins.” He nibbled my earlobe as he pulled away. “Now open the damn door.”
I knew I got myself into this mess. I knew damn well Anders had always been jealous of his older half-brother. I remember the first time I met him at Karl’s charity. I remember the hatred in his eyes the moment he saw Shane. His fury at the family dinner. I knew he’d do anything to destroy Shane. To get rid of the “second-best” feeling. To prove himself better. I knew it all. I agreed to be the key in his wicked game on my own. And I hated every moment of it. But it seemed like the only way to protect Hope.
I unlocked the door, and it swung open. It took merely a second for Shane's eyes to fall on Anders’ naked torso. Then it took another second for the kind of scary wrath to flood his stormy gaze. But also, disappointment. I’d never seen that in his eyes before.
“How could you?” Shane hissed as his eyes met Anders’, his fists tightening. “You’re my brother.”
Anders’ arrogant smirk grew even wider. “All is fair in love and war. And this,” he said as he pointed at me, “is war.”
Shane’s teeth grinded. Breathing heavily, he walked closer toward Anders. “Then this is war I’m going to win.”
His head cocked, his gaze landing on mine. His low hiss made me shudder. I couldn’t understand why he kept acting like this. He’d wanted me dead in the first place.
Anders scoffed before he took a few steady steps toward me, enveloping his arms around my waist from behind. He brushed my hair away and placed a slow, provocative kiss on the side of my neck. “It’s a losing game for you, Shane.” His gaze moved up to his brother. “She’s mine now. And she’ll be mine forever. I’ll make sure of that.”
The adrenaline rushed through my veins. Hesitantly, I moved my eyes up to look at Shane. His jaw was clenching, his gaze was so damn dark. “He doesn’t love you, Melanie. He’s not capable of loving anyone but himself,” Shane hissed.
I didn’t reply. I just kept gawking at him, trying to understand the pain hidden behind the fury and hatred in his eyes. It seemed… real.
