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

“If you trusted me even a little, you’d know I’d never do that to you. But you chose to stomp on my feelings, on the confession it took me so much courage to make. I told you I loved you, but you chose your anger and trust issues over me.”

“Fuck, Lisichka. I’m sorry. Let me make it up to you.” He grabs my hand in his.

The skin where his fingers spread burns and it takes everything in me to ignore the effect his physical touch has on me.

“You nearly killed me in that alley.”

“I would never do that. I’d hurt myself before hurting you.”

“You already did, Jeremy! Maybe not physically, but you pierced my heart open with your rejection. And I can’t do this anymore. I can’t forgive you when I’m scared of what you’ll do to my feelings at the slightest hint of trouble or if you see Lan near me again. You know, when I was lying on the floor, feeling the nightmare restart all over again, my heart was heavy with the pain you inflicted. I can’t live in fear for the rest of my life, Jeremy. I just can’t.”

His face hardens with each of my words as if he can feel them instead of hearing them. “If you’re suggesting I let you go, I won’t.”

“You’ll have to, or I will hate you.” I pull my hands from his. “Smoke.”

His eyes taper and deep pain covers his features. “Cecily…”

“Goodbye, Jeremy.”

And then I slip back inside with fresh tears in my eyes and resolve tightening my heart.

I won’t allow anyone to hurt me again.

Not even the man I’m sure is the love of my life.





42





JEREMY





Cecily made it clear that she was done with me.

I made it clear that I wasn’t.

So we’ve been stuck in an empty circle since.

She gives me the cold shoulder, and I continue following her from afar, ensuring she’s safe.

It doesn’t matter if she doesn’t want my protection, I’m providing it anyway.

And yes, that might seem clingy, but I don’t give a fuck.

After exams, she went back to London for the summer. I apologized to my parents in advance because I planned to be wherever Cecily was, and if that meant spending the summer in fucking England, so be it.

My father told me to go for it, and Mom said she’d miss me, but as long as I showed her my face during the summer, she was fine with it.

I don’t think that will be possible.

It’s been almost two months and Cecily isn’t budging.

Kim, my favorite person on earth right now, made sure to invite me over for dinner and outings almost every night. I met Cecily’s grandfathers, played fucking board games with them, and had to endure their questioning. I was also cornered by her uncle, who, like her father, said he’d be keeping an eye on me.

As luck would have it, I landed a girl who’s surrounded by overprotective men who spoiled her rotten but still didn’t manage to transform her into a spoiled princess.

If anything, she makes it a point to volunteer at a gazillion organizations that I can’t keep track of. Instead of using her time to chill like most college students do, she’s more interested in helping others.

Ava and Glyn did fly her to Ava’s family vacation house in the South of France. My disregard for Ava might have lowered because I got to watch Cecily in a bathing suit for a week.

I still had to put up with Kill’s annoying company for it. The difference is that he got to join them when they went swimming and for meals.

Me? I remained in the sun with a grouchy Ilya, who absolutely hates the heat and kept grumbling about his burned skin.

Cecily came over, gave him her sunscreen, then turned around and left.

I was so close to killing him.

I hate the way she smiles and talks to everyone, Ilya included, but when she meets my eyes, her joy disappears, and she looks away.

In fact, she’s been trying to kick me out ever since I landed in London—one day after her arrival. At first, she used her dad’s animosity toward me, but after the first few weeks, Xander got me drunk so I’d spill my secrets.

I told him I wouldn’t leave his daughter even if I died, and he smacked me upside the head.

Ilya, the idiot, told him that I got rid of Zayn and he personally did the cleanup. And while I’d planned to keep that information to myself, I’m thankful for the newfound respect Xander has for me ever since that night.

In fact, he thanked me for protecting Cecily when he wasn’t there. Little does he know that I wish I could revive that motherfucker Zayn and kill him all over again.

And again.

When I saw him sitting on her back while she was panting, I didn’t think about it as I pulled my knife and sliced his throat. He only saw me when the blood was exploding from his wound like a fountain.

If I’d been thinking straight, I wouldn’t have dirtied her with his blood. But I wasn’t. The only thing I was thinking about at the time was her safety and the crippling feeling at the possibility of losing her.

I only regret not having the chance to torture the fucker, but I can make up for that with Jonah. For the rest of his miserable life.

Anyway, despite Xander’s gratitude and the absence of an edge to his animosity, he still believes I should leave, per his daughter’s demands.

However, the genius way Kim handles him whenever she feels like he’s gone too far has saved me more times than I can count.