CHAPTER EIGHT

LIANA’S POV

b“/bGet inb./b”

Killian’s voice was cold, yetmanding. He had just parked his car right in front of me, blocking my way like he always

did.

I stood there in shock, hugging my arms tightly around myself while I met his intense gaze.

b“/bbNo/b,” I said almost immediately. “I said I want nothing–absolutely nothing–to do with you.”

Killian’s eyes darkened as he stared at me intensely.

b“/bYou can say thatter,” he replied. “You can curse me all you want after I’m sure you’re fine, and not wandering around the

damn streets homeless.”

“I don’t need your fucking pityb,/bb” /bI spat. “Go to hell, Killian. Just leave me alone.

Killian didn’t move. Neither did he blink, which somehow made it worse.

I felt suffocated as his eyes locked on mine, making me so desperate to escape before he could pull me back into his

poisonous orbit.

dn’t even care

where it would take me as long as it was far away from him. anywhere was better than standing hereb, /bbeing suffocated by

Killian’s presence.

Without thinking twice, I rushed toward the road and waved desperately until a cab stopped in front of

“To the nearest motel,” bI /bsaid urgently to the driver as I entered. “and fast. Please. Opposite direction.”

The cab driver nodded. He drove off quickly. Killian and his stupid car faded as I watched his silhouette disappear in the

rearview mirror.

Relief washed through me but only for a second.

Soon, the cab stopped in front of what I could only describe as a disaster of a building. The motel was old, crumbling, and looked as if it had been forgotten by the rest of the world decades ago. The neon sign flickered weakly. It looked as if it had given up hope, just like me.

But I didn’t care.

I paid the driverb, /bthanked him bsoftly/bb, /band got out. One night, I told myself. Just one night of miseryb, /band tomorrow I’d figure something. anything. Out. I hugged myself tighter as I walked toward the reception. I prayed silently that the inside would be slightly better than the outside.

bIt /bwasn’t

The second I stepped insideb, /bthe smell of smoke and stale alcohol enveloped me. bMy /bstomach twisted. Men lounged around bzily/b, smoking weed while theyughed and talked loudly about things I didn’t want to hear. I did my best to avoid eye contact while I made my way bto /bthe reception desk.

But before I could even reach it, I bfelt /bbeyes /bon me.

Then they surrounded me

Three men all reeking of alcohol. Their eyes roamed my bbody /bshamelessly. They stepped in bfront /bbof /bme, blocking my bview/b.

“Well, well, what do we have here…b?/b” one of them slurred, his lips curling into a smirk.

b“/bYou look too pretty to be in a dump like this, baby girl,” another added.

“Why don’t you spend the night with us?” the third one chimed in. “We could

“Get away from me!” I hissed, pushing anyone who dared to touch me. “Leave

Theyughed like I was some kind of joke.

ch fun. Foursome maybe…?”

me the hell alone!”

I tried to walk past them, but they blocked me. They backed me up until my back was pressed against the dirty wall, like a

pack of predators toying with their prey..

“Come on, sweetheart…” the first guy said darklyb. /bb“/bYou’re already here. No need to be shy.”

.

“Stopb,/b” I whispered. My heart was thumping wildly in my chest. “Please… just let me go.“”

They didn’t listen. Their hands started to reach for me. They grabbed my arms, my waist. I tried to jerk away,

too strong. Panic exploded inside me.

but

they

were

“Leave me

aloneb!/bb” /bbI /bshouted frenatically. “Help! Somebody help me!”

The receptionist, a greasy man who looked like he hadn’t showered in weeks, merely chuckled from behind his desk.

Na

sta

b“/bbYou /bshould cooperate, darling,” he saidzily. He didn’t even bother to get up. “You don’t need byour /bstay. Room, food, and all. Just serve them well first.”

Opay. They said they’ll cover

I felt like I was going to vomit.

b“/bYou all must be insane!b” /bbI /bscreamed. I tried harder to push them away as they tightened their grip

Tears streamed down my face. They burned my skin while I fought desperately.

“Please… please let me go,” I begged. bMy /bvoice broke apart. bMy /bvision became blurry.

They onlyughed.

b“/bbNo /bone’sing to help you,” one whispered in my ear cruelly. b“/bYou might as well stop fighting.”

bon /bmeb. /b

My knees gave out as they pulled at me harder. I sobbed, terrified out of my mind. I knew I was seconds

baway /bfrom

being

“Release her!b” /b

a deadly voice filled the room like thunder, and everyone stopped.

My breath hitched painfully. My head tilted toward the entrance.

Killian

His presence filled the space immediatelyb, /bdark and terrifying and furious. His beyes /bweren’t human anymore. They were soulless Empty. Filled with a murderous vibe.

“I said,” he growled “Release her. Now.”

The thugs didn’t move fast enough, and Killian bsnapped/b.

What followed was brutal Savage.

Heunched at them like a beast let looseb. /bHis fists connected with bone and flesh so hard I flinched at every sickening sound One by one, he took them down mercilessly. Their blood stteredb. /bTheir bones bcracked /bTheir screams bfilled /bbthe /b

broom/b.

They tried to fight back, but they didn’t stand a chance. Killian was like death itself. Cold. Calcted. Vicious.

When he was done, they were groaning on the floor. Their faces were bloodied and swollen. Their bodies crumpled like

broken btoys/b. But they were alive.

Just barely.

Without a word, Killian turned to me.

I didn’t even have time to react before he scooped me up effortlessly, like I weighed nothing.

My tears hadn’t stopped. I buried my face in his chest and cried heavily.

He didn’t say anything. He didn’t even look at me while he carried me out and into his car.

He mmed the door shut. He climbed in himself. He drove off in absolute silence.

His jaw was ticking dangerously. He held the steering wheel so tightly I was afraid his hands might break in half. His knuckles were ghost white from the pressure, stained faintly with blood from the fight.

“Thank byou/bb,/bb” /bI whispered shakily. bMy /bvoice was so soft it barely filled the space.

He didn’t answer.

He didn’t even nce at me.

His eyes remained fixed on the road. They were dark with barely restrained rage. He drove faster and faster. He took me God knows whereb, /bwhile I sat there silently crying. I realized just how much my world had spiraledpletely

of

my control.