Mr. Ruthless

Chapter 9

Picture of the Venturelli house

Zander's POV

"Are you for real?" Bjorn muttered as he held the now unconscious girl in his arms. I raised my brow and gave him a pointed look.

"I don't see what I did wrong." I shrugged, ready to return to my well-needed coffee.
"You scared her." he accused and glared at me. I almost laughed at my his ridiculous behavior but I kept my face straight and took a step closer.

"I scare everyone Bjorn."

"She fainted." He rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed with me. I sighed, it wasn't like it was my intention to make her lose consciousness.

"What's up with you anyway." He was acting strange when it concerned Stacey. Blood rushed to his cheeks as he simply shrugged, portraying it as if it was nothing. I shook my head, I didn't want to know.

Bjorn scooped the girl up in his arms and held her bridal style, obviously wanting to get her out of here before she woke up but waited for me to have the final word. Did he have a thing for her?

"What should we do with her?" he asked, looking a bit nervous as he tried to sound formal. I scanned my best friend's face.

I could read people like an open book. It's something I was always good at, another reason why I make people feel uncomfortable. It's almost impossible to hide something from me. Every twitch, every shiver and every gulp won't go unnoticed by me.

Bjorn seemed to have the urge to protect her, whether it was from me or himself, I didn't care. Perhaps the same as I felt drawn to Eleanor.

"Zander?" he snapped me away from my thoughts. I shrugged my shoulders.

"She's your responsibility." Bjorn stared at me with wide eyes and gave me a grateful smile before taking her upstairs to one of the guest rooms. Once he reached the top he stopped and turned around.

"Zander." He paused for a moment, "Thank you." And with that he left my sight, leaving me alone in the hallway.

I glanced around and realized Sebestian had left as well. He had a gift like that. That bulky ass could move like a mouse if he wanted to. He could come and disappear without you noticing it.

I ran my hands through my hair in exhaustion and went back to the kitchen. Groaning in annoyance when I realized my coffee was cold again. I slammed my hands on the counter and left the kitchen, there was too much on my mind to get any work done tonight.

Once in my room I stripped off my clothes and walked to my bathroom. I passed the mirror that hung at the wall and stared at my reflection in disgust.

Despite my muscled physique and naturally tanned skin, the many lines that ran across my skin were repulsive. Scars, I would never get rid of them, they were a reminder of what I had lost, of how I failed, of how I became a beast of a man.

The longer I stared at the monstrous reflection the angrier I got. I couldn't take it anymore. I tried everything I could, and I failed.

I had nothing.

I growled in anger and smashed my balled up fist against the glass. A stinging pain shot through my arm but I didn't care. I needed the pain. It was the only thing I could feel. The only feeling I welcomed. The only feeling I deserved.

A knock at the door broke my anger-building thoughts.

"Zander?" it was Bjorn.

"Not now." I grumbled as I stared down at my bloodied hand. "Zander for god's sake open the door." He hissed.