Page 17 of Kael

The door burst open so hard it slammed against the wall.

“What the fuck is going on?” Kael’s voice thundered through the room.

We both froze.

Lena immediately pulled back, eyes wide and teary, pressing a hand to her reddened cheek. She looked small and shaken in an instant.

"She attacked me," Lena said, her voice trembling with perfect victimhood. She touched her fingers to her cheek, wincing. "I was just trying to give her her medication and she… she lost it. I think the withdrawal is still affecting her mind. She's confused. Aggressive."

Kael's eyes snapped to me. I was breathing hard, lip bleeding, hair wild, still half on the bed, half off. My chest heaved. Blood dripped down my chin.

I opened my mouth, but the words wouldn't come. All I could do was stare at him—desperate, mad as fuck, and terrified all at once.

Please,I thought.Please see it. Please see it was her.

Kael's jaw tightened. He stepped fully into the room, boots silent on the spilled soup and scattered pills. His face was unreadable. I had seen this cold mask he wore when he was deciding someone's fate, and I couldn’t tell who it was directed at.

Lena pressed her advantage, reaching out to touch his arm. "I tried to calm her down, but she just—" She let out a shaky breath. "I understand she's going through something terrible. I don't blame her. But maybe I should handle her medication from the hallway for a few days. For my safety."

Kael looked down at her hand on his arm. Then he looked at me.

His eyes moved over me. He looked at Lena's hand on his arm. He looked back at me.

And for one horrible, gut-wrenching moment—he didn't move.

My heart fell somewhere into my stomach.

He believes her.

Of course he believes her. She's clean. She's professional. She's not the junkie who tried to rob him.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Instead, I just sat there, bleeding and shaking, waiting for his judgment.

“I want the truth.” His eyes were on me, harder than I had ever seen them.

Kael reached behind his back. He pulled out a gun—not a small one, but a heavy black pistol that looked like it could put a hole through a concrete wall. He didn't point it at me.

He pointed it at Lena.

Her smile froze. "Kael?" Her voice cracked. "What are you—"

"Bria," Kael said, cutting her off, his voice quiet. "I'm going to ask you once. And I need you to tell me the truth."

Lena's hand slipped off his arm. She backed up a step, eyes wide now, genuinely afraid for the first time.

Kael didn't look at her. His eyes stayed on me.

"What happened?"

Chapter 12

I was shaking again, this time not from withdrawal. I was so scared—scared he wouldn’t believe me.

I stared at the gun. At his face. At Lena's pale, terrified expression.

I opened my mouth, but the words wouldn’t come out.

“Tell me.” Kael raised his voice, and it was terrifying.