He's Mine - How to 'illegally' tell people HE's MINE in 99 ways

Chapter 10

"Shadows are your best friends because they don't sneak up on you."

~~~

"You're crazy!" another voice shouts. I groan inwardly. "What the hell is going on today?" I mutter to myself as I head toward my brother's class, carrying the precious laptop he forgot yesterday in the penthouse. As if I needed more excuses to be around Raze.

I make my way through the hall, quietly waiting outside. I feel him before I see him—déjà vu hits me like a punch.

"Hello, Hellion. Delivering any more heads today?" His voice drips with disdain, every word like a poison seeping into my skin.

I turn to face him, keeping my expression blank. Poker faces are my specialty. "Not today. No one's trying to assassinate me, after all." I flash him a fake smile, the kind that doesn't even try to hide the sarcasm.

He rolls his eyes, frustration etched deep in his face. Here we go.

"You're no saint," he snaps.

"Of course not," I say, my voice laced with venom. "I'm the devil's mischievous little thing. But at least my father isn't sending people to kill you, is he?"

I glare at him, pouring every ounce of hatred I can muster into my stare. But deep down, if I'm honest, it's the one emotion I don't feel for him. How did things change so fast? We were just strangers—well, except for my stalking. He was my twin's best friend, and I was just the best friend's twin sister.

His jaw clenches, but he says nothing. He steps closer, closing the space between us, the heat of his body making the tension in the air almost suffocating.

"Always with the sharp tongue, aren't you?" His eyes narrow as he studies my face. "One day, it'll get you into real trouble."

I don't flinch. "Oh, trust me, it already has. I killed that problem the next minute."

There's a flicker of something in his gaze—something dark—before it vanishes just as quickly. He turns his back to me, broad shoulders tense, and for a moment, I wonder if I struck a nerve.

"Is that why you're here?" he asks, his voice low and rough. "To remind me of how much of a killer you are?"

Killer? Really?
Have I killed people? Yes. Did they deserve it? Absolutely. Could I have handled those situations differently? Maybe. Did I want to? No. Did I enjoy it? Fuck yes.

I roll my eyes, even though he can't see me. "I'm here for my brother, Raze. Believe it or not, I'm fully aware of who I am. I don't need a reminder from you."

He lets out a bitter, humorless laugh. "Of course. The brother who worships the ground you walk on like you're untouchable. When the truth is you're both rotten to the core."

In a split second, I close the distance between us, my blade pressing against his stomach. His eyes widen, all his bravado draining in an instant.

"Listen very carefully, Xavier, because I won't repeat this," I hiss, voice low and threatening. "Yes, I'm from a family who's bathed in blood to get what we want. But you don't know the half of it. While you lived in your sheltered world with your mother, Matteo and I learned the cruelties of life before you could even say 'mama.' So next time you want to snap at me, remember your daddy dearest is a goddamn hitman. And he sent his team to abduct me day before yesterday. You may be Matteo's friend, but that doesn't erase the fact that you're Darius' son."

I step back, my blade vanishing into my sleeve as quickly as it appeared. Raze looks like he's about to respond, but the classroom door swings open, and Matteo walks out, smiling as though nothing is wrong.