Twisted Veil of Devotion

Part 16

Zane POV:

"So," I continued, my gaze fixed on Stella "Tell me about your time with Ryan. How did he manage to captivate you so completely?"

As the words left my lips, I watched her eyes widen in surprise, and she choked on the juice she was drinking. I couldn't help but smirk at her reaction; I enjoyed seeing the unexpected catching her off guard.

"Are you really interested in hearing about my time with him?" she sputtered, her voice tinged with disbelief. 

"Of course," I replied, leaning back in my chair, feigning nonchalance. "I want to understand what makes you tick. What it is about him that drew you in. What I'm up against."

Stella wiped her mouth with a napkin, her expression a mixture of defiance and vulnerability. "He's everything you're not," she said, her voice gaining strength. "Ryan respects me. He values me as a person, not just as an object to possess."

I couldn't help but chuckle, shaking my head at her naïveté. "Respect?" I repeated. "What does that even mean in this world? Respect doesn't keep you safe, Stella. Love does. And I love you. Don't you understand? I will do whatever it takes to protect you."

"Protect me?" she scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You call this a protection? Keeping me in a gilded cage, forcing me to live under your twisted sense of love?"

The fire in her eyes ignited something primal within me. "It's not twisted, Stella," I said, my voice low and steady. "It's the only way I know how to keep you safe. You have no idea how many threats are out there....how many people want to take you from me. Ryan is just the beginning."

 I leaned in closer, "The moment word got around my world that I cared about you, my rivals began plotting to take you from me."

I watched her expression change, confusion flickering across her face. "You're trying to scare me," she replied, her voice steady, but I could hear the slightest tremor beneath her bravado. "You think this is going to make me change my mind about you?"

I shook my head, a grim smile forming on my lips. "No, Stella. I don't need to scare you into loving me. I just need you to understand the reality of our situation. The men in my world would tear you apart to hurt me. They would do anything to exploit my weakness. And you, my love, is my weakness."

"I didn't want to bring you into this life," I continued, my voice low and filled with a sincerity that I hoped would penetrate her defenses. "But here we are, and I will do whatever it takes to protect you. I took you away from Ryan because I knew he couldn't shield you from the darkness that surrounds us. I did it for your own good."

Her eyes narrowed, and I could see the fight rekindling within her. "Do you think I'm stupid? You think you can just manipulate me, making me think this is all for my own good? You almost killed Ryan!"

The words cut deeper than I expected, igniting the fury bubbling inside me. "Yes, I want him dead!" I shouted, unable to contain the rage that poured from my lips. "From the day he looked at you, from the day he thought he had a chance with you. I would tear him limb by limb if I could get my hands on him right now for fucking you!" My breath came in heavy gasps as I slammed my hand on the table, the sound echoing in the lavish dining room.

"Did you try to kill him again?" she fired back, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and disbelief. Before I could respond, she shot up from her seat and landed a hot slap across my face.

The sting lingered, shock rippling through me. I stared at her, my heart racing, a mixture of admiration and anger churning within me.

I touched my face, the sting from her slap still lingering, a reminder of her defiance. It was unexpected, but it ignited something within me, a mix of admiration and frustration. As she returned to her chair, I couldn't help but watch her, taking in every movement as she continued to eat as if nothing had happened.