God of Wrath (Legacy of Gods #3) by Rina Kent

People repress their animalistic needs, but Jeremy nurtured them in me. He encouraged me to go after what I want, to ask for it, and fall deeper into it.

While he seemed refined, cold, and composed on the outside, a beast lurked inside him that called out to the animalistic part of me. Yes, he can be overbearing sometimes, but he was everything I didn’t think I wanted in a man.

He was the person whose company I found peace in after a long day.

Until earlier.

Until he showed me just how mercilessly he could hurt me.

Maybe if I hadn’t gone out to talk to Landon, none of this would’ve happened. In hindsight, I shouldn’t have, but Lan said he would barge in and ruin our party and I thought meeting him outside would be better than letting him clash with Jeremy, Killian, and even Bran.

I thought wrong.

But then again, it was only a matter of time before Jeremy let that part of himself loose. Whether it happens now or a few weeks from now doesn’t matter.

All I can do is think about where to go from here. The way he asked me to run, how he told me not to let him catch me was no different than ending our relationship.

It wasn’t enough that he hurt me, but now, he’s done with me, too.

And why do I sound pathetic in my own head?

Jeremy never promised me anything beyond the physical. I just imagined things myself, and now, I’m paying the price for it.

A shadow falls over me, and the heart I thought was burned beyond repair resurrects from the ashes with the glory of a phoenix.

I knew Jeremy would catch me. He always does.

The moment I lift my head, the hope that bloomed in my chest withers and dies.

It’s not Jeremy who stares down at me. It’s not even his pseudo-stalker Ilya.

The one in front of me, in his pristine trousers, button-down, and designer shoes, is none other than Zayn. My colleague from school and another volunteer at the shelter.

“Cecily?” He raises a brow. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I just needed to rest.” I manage an awkward smile. “What about you?”

“I’m on night duty. Want to come inside instead of staying out in the cold?”

“Sure.”

Being inside the shelter is better than going back to the dorm and actually talking about this. Besides, knowing Ava, she probably convinced the others to stay up late drinking.

I’m worried about her deteriorating state. Now that Glyn and Anni spend most their nights with their boyfriends, no one keeps an eye on her.

Not that I’ve been any better, but maybe I’ll go back to keeping her out of trouble.

Zayn opens the door with his key and I follow him in.

“I’ll be right back,” I tell him, then go to the bathroom to freshen up, where I end up crying for ten minutes before I wash my face.

I’m such a mess.

If I call Papa or Mum right now, they’ll be worried to death, so even though I want to, I don’t.

After finishing my business, I step out and stop when I find Zayn waiting for me and holding a bottle of water.

“I thought you might need something to drink, so I got you this from the vending machine.”

“Thanks.” I take it from his hand and pause when I turn the lid and find that it’s not sealed.

This is the second time this has happened. The first was back at that hotel.

I’m a bit out of sorts, but not enough to ignore the red flags the second time around. Yes, I’m probably overthinking it, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

It takes some effort to plaster a smile on my face. “I’m going to call an Uber. Thanks for this.”

“You should drink.” His voice drops and has an uncomfortable edge. “You look dehydrated.”

My fingers tighten around the bottle, but I try my hardest not to let it show on my face. “Will do. Night.”

I brush past him and quicken my steps toward the exit. Maybe I can get to the security guard up front.

Now that I think about it, I didn’t see him earlier. Does that mean he left his post? Is this intentional?

The bottle of water burns in my hand, but I don’t dare throw it away in case he’s watching. Please tell me he’s gone.

“Hey, Cecily.”

My spine jerks upright at the tone of his voice. It’s like that night. Like Jonah’s.

Was it only Jonah?

I don’t think about it as I run. I don’t care if I’m being paranoid or if everything seems surreal. Everything will be okay as long as I get out of here.

A giant mass slams into me from behind, and I crash to the floor with a shriek. I kick and fight, my head turning with the force of the impact.

“Stupid little bitch.” Zayn sits on my back, nearly breaking it.

He looks like a demon right now, and his features have morphed into fluid lines reeking of evil.

I try to push at him, to turn, but it’s impossible with him sitting on me as if I’m a chair. He reaches for the water bottle that rolled across the floor due to the impact and opens it.

“You should’ve drunk when I asked you nicely.”

My pulse roars in my ears, but I force myself to calm down and speak as neutrally as possible. “What…what are you doing, Zayn?”

“Aren’t you so smart? Don’t act dumb when you know exactly what I’m doing.” He grabs my face, closes my nose, and the moment I gasp through my mouth, he pours the water into it.