Deviant Love

24 - HER

[Chapter 24]

I sat in the corner of the room, arms crossed, glaring daggers at Alex as he paced back and forth like a caged lion. My knuckles still tingled from where they'd collided with his jaw, a reminder that sometimes, violence was the answer. 

He deserved it.

"Are you going to stop sulking and talk to me?" Alex finally asked, his voice softer than I expected. Almost... apologetic.

I raised an eyebrow, my tone dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, I'm sorry. Was I supposed to be grateful for being abducted and dragged across an ocean? Let me pen you a thank-you note right now."

He stopped pacing and turned to face me, his expression unreadable. "Daisy, I didn't do this to hurt you."

"Well, congratulations," I shot back, my words sharp enough to cut glass. "Because if your goal was to piss me off royally, you're excelling at it."

Alex sighed, running a hand through his hair in that infuriatingly attractive way he always did when he was frustrated. "I was trying to protect you."

I scoffed. "Oh, of course. Classic male logic: 'I'll kidnap her; she'll feel safe.' Honestly, what was your next move, Alex? Chain me to a wall for extra protection?"

His lips quirked up into a small smile, but he quickly smothered it under a more serious expression. "You don't understand—"

"You're damn right. I don't understand," I interrupted, standing up so I could glare at him from closer proximity. "You don't just take someone halfway across the world without asking! Ever heard of consent?"

Alex flinched slightly, but his voice was steady. "If I'd asked, you wouldn't have come."

"No kidding!" I snapped, throwing my hands in the air. "Because normal people don't willingly sign up for secret international hideouts and mysterious 'enemies.' Do you know what normal people do? They text. They call."

"Daisy—"

"Don't 'Daisy' me, Alexander!" I jabbed a finger at his chest. "You don't get to act like the hero while also being the villain. That's not how it works."

He stared at me for a long moment, his piercing blue eyes locking onto mine. It was that same look he always gave me when he wanted me to stop yelling at him, the one that usually worked because it made my stomach flip in ways I hated to admit.

But not this time. Nope. My anger had a death grip on me, and I wasn't letting it go.

"You can glare at me all you want," I said, crossing my arms again. "It's not going to make me forgive you. You don't get a free pass just because you have—" I gestured vaguely at him, "—that face."

He tilted his head, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. "You think my face is worth forgiving?"

I groaned. "Unbelievable. Is this seriously your strategy? Flirting your way out of a kidnapping charge?"

Alex stepped closer, and I hated how my pulse quickened when he did. "I'm not flirting, Daisy," he said, his voice low and soft. "I'm trying to tell you I'm sorry. I know I messed up. I know I hurt you."

"Yeah, well, congratulations on finally catching up," I muttered, looking away. "What do you want? A gold star for admitting it?"

"I don't want a gold star," he said quietly. "I want you to trust me again."