Page 5 of Overdosed: Her Dark Side
Wasn’t this what I wanted? To stir the twisted jealousy in him, the anger. Then why do I feel uneasy like this?
“What are you doing, Anders?” Karl’s hissing tone cut through the tension. He was seething.
I cast a glance at him, then at Anders’ mom Elena. They were both as confused as they were furious.
“What?” Anders angled his head. “Can’t I marry the woman I love?”
“Love?” Shane cocked his head, staring into my eyes with such intensity a cold shudder raced through me. “Please, we all know this isn’t about love.”
“You may think whatever you please, brother, but it is about love. I’ve fallen in love with Melanie, and she, with me.”
“You don’t love her.” He leaned towards his brother. “You can’t love her like I do.”
My heart rate accelerated. Why would he say something like that? Why would he act as though he still loved me? Was that yet another one of his devious tricks to mess with my head?
For a second there, I doubted everything I believed about him and his desire for his wicked vengeance. He reacted to the news of the engagement as if he was jealous. Not possessive as if he owned me. It was as though he was hurt because he was about to lose the woman of his life. Or perhaps, it was because now I was untouchable for him. Now, he could not execute his revenge. This family had a rule that they did not touch their family members, no matter what. And by marrying Anders, I would turn into one of them. A Vergoossen. Off-limits for Shane.
“Fuck it,” Shane growled. He shoved past his brother, forming a barrier with his muscular frame between his brother and me. “We need to talk.”
Our gazes locked. I could feel his heavy breath meshing with mine.
Oh, God.
As much as I didn’t want to let his presence affect me, I couldn’t avoid it. I melted in his gaze. His deep sea-colored eyes were so easy to drown in. My heart started racing. All the memories, his touch, and his kisses came flooding back. The inevitable happened. I was scared of him. I knew he could kill me without batting an eye. Then why was I so damn attracted to him?
“We need to talk, Melanie.” His tone was low, his jaw tightening with each word.
I couldn’t stop questioning whether it was all merely a hoax. Whether he just played his part. Because if he did, he was a darn good actor. “We have nothing to talk about.”
Anders tried to break through the wall Shane had built between us. Shane stretched his neck, turning to him. “You don’t get to decide what I do with my woman.”
I could tell the words made Anders’ blood boil. His hands clenched into fists. “Yours?” he scoffed. “She is my woman now.” His eyes landed on me; his cheeks sucked in. He attempted to walk past Shane, but Shane pressed his hand against Anders’ chest firmly.
“She was mine. She is mine. And she always will be mine,” Shane said in such a calm, composed manner as if it was not up for question. His tone was husky as ever but dangerously low. His gaze was firmly stuck on his brother. “I assure you of that.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Anders seethed.
“I know exactly what you’re doing, Anders.” His ocean eyes darkened. “Don’t get in my way, or I’ll burn this place to the ground right this fucking second. Along with you and your wicked ambitions.”
Anders’ fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
Shane turned to face me again, pointing his head toward the exit. His eyes fixed on mine.
“I’m not going anywhere with you.” I was determined to stand my ground, but Shane didn’t bother.
“Well. I’ll just carry you instead.”
The next thing I knew, he threw my body over his shoulder as if I weighed nothing, casually carrying me toward the exit. The room filled with gasps, but he didn’t seem to care. He never did. I yelled at him, punching his back repeatedly, trying to ignore the chills his touch shot through me.
He carried me outside. The valet was already standing by, extending the keys to his car with a respectful nod. I hated the power Shane had over people. I noticed that the moment he merely directed his gaze toward the exit, the valet had already sprinted to bring his car. But then again, it was Shane, the second most significant participant of the event, right after Karl.
Shane slid me into the passenger seat of his Bugatti with practiced ease. The door locked. Then I watched him circling to the driver’s side with searing anger. And we drove away, the image of Anders descending the stairs in the side-view mirror.
THREE
Shane
Would you be so kind as not to kick the door of my car?” I teased as Melanie exited the vehicle, kicking the door shut.
