I return to my locker room under the insults of the spectators.
I walk over to the sink, my nose is bleeding. I spit out blood.
I look at myself in the mirror and my reflection makes me want to vomit a bluish eye that will surely turn purple, a big scratch on my forehead, wounds on my arms and legs, and a cut on my neck,
I let out a nervous laugh at my unrecognizable face and body
You’re such a dumb bitch, Inara!
I punch the mirror hard, shattering it into a thousand pieces. At this point, one more injury won’t make a difference.
“You’re even crazier than I thought!”
I turn my head and meet Alexander’s gaze. I’m not surprised he’s here, since recognized his silhouette while I was on the ground.
A public humiliation in front of him, just great
“What are you doing here? This is a private locker room”
“I go everywhere”
“Enjoy the show? Since you’ve been wanting to see me get destroyed, I hope you captured the moment with some pictures”
He doesn’t seem to be mocking
“I didn’t know you did stuff like this. That explain
bruises on your body and also the black eye you had when we were in prison.”
I shrug and grab water soaked cotton to treat my wounds, even though my hand is bleeding.
“You’re a real idiot.
I turn toward him and glare.
“What now?”
“you’re injured, and you think smashing your hand on a mirror is the best idea?”
Iclench my jaw.
“Mind your own business.”
He walks over to me and gently pushes me aside, grabbing my first aid kit, I widen my eyes.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m treating you.”
Isuppress a surprised look and stare at him in confusion
one. I’ve always managed on my own
“m just returning the favor. You treated me yesterday.
08:20° Viede
Chapter 38
I don’t want his pity..
don’t want your help!
“Shut your mouth and it down.”
“I’m not at your service?
“Either you sit, or I make a phone call and your weapons end up in a well.”
Traise my eyebrows.
“You gave the your word”
“I said nd give them back, never said in what condition you’d find them.”
1 sigh in frustration and sit in the chair next to me. He grabs my hand and disinfects it.
“Underground lights? I’m disappointed, you could’ve done better.”
He smirks, and let out a small laugh
“What did you think? That i was the kind to take topless photos, is that it?”
“I would’ve loved to see that.”
I sigh.
*Men love watching women beat the shit out of each other so they can fantasize”
“You don’t need to fight for me to fantasize about you”
I say nothing. He wraps my hand in a bandage.
“What did you come here for?”
“I’m asking myself the same question.”
“I got publicly humiliated in front of you, but you’re not mocking me.
i know you l
lost on purpose.”
I pretend not to understand.
*I lost because she was stronger than me.”
“I’ve seen you fight. I know what you’re capable of Thoother spectators didn’t notice your little rigged match, but don’t insult my intelligence.”
I knew he’d figure it out,
“Believe what you want”
“Surprisingly your father lets his little princess fight in a place like this.”
“You know very little about me.”
“I’d like to know more, but since you’re playing the ice queen…
He smirks. He’s so close I can smell his scent and admire the perfect symmetry of his face.
214
Chapter 38
“You’ll know nothing”
talready know enough.”
“Oh yeah? Like what?”
“All your actions and words are calculated, You’ve got a dark past that made you wear this cold and emotionless mask ”
Traise my eyebrows and bite my lip hard.
“Why are you doing all this?”
He pauses.
“Doing what?”
Trying to make me believe you care about me? I don’t get why you pretend to like me.
“What makes you think I’m pretending?”
|
“Your flirting, your nicknames–it’s just to get me to fall for you. But I don’t see the point”
He looks a bit taken aback by my question.
“What makes you think I’m pretending?”
“I’m not one of your groupies who thinks you see them as special or unique. I’m lucid. And I only see two reasons why a guy would waste time trying to
seduce me.”
“I’d love to hear them.”
“Either you just want to sleep with me and toss me like trash, or you want to use me to get to my
He stares at me in silence for a few seconds.
father.
“You’ve got so little self–confidence that you think you’re either a fantasy or just a pawn to get to your father
It sounds like a statement. I don’t know what to say. He continues
“And I never said you were unique or special.”
“I don’t recall saying you did.”
“You show no emotion and no weakness.”
“You’re just like me.”
“Men like me are attractive to women because we’re unreachable. Women Eke you, who are completely closed off, make must feel incredibly alone.”
I resist rolling my eyes. I try to calm my racing heart and suppress my shaking.
“I don’t need to appeal to anyone.”
He lets out a mocking smile.
“You’re the forbidden woman,
“Which means you’ll never touch me, not even in your dreams”
want to crush them. You
08:20 Wed, 20
Chapter 35
love the forbidden, especially breaking the rules”
Why did I start talking about this with him? Get a grip.
Don’t forget who you’re talking to.
He finishes the bandage and gets ready to disinfect my eye with a cotton pat
Tjerk back to keep him from touching my face.
“I was just going to disinfect your eye, not bite your”
“I don’t let anyone touch my face
“Oh yeah? Yet you just let some chick beat the shit out of it.”
“That’s different.”
“I didn’t mean to caress you. Relax”
“Don’t forget we hate each other.”
“I still hate you.”
“Good. I wouldn’t want that to change over a misunderstanding.”
“The only reason I’m helping you is because you can’t bandage your hand alone. And I don’t want to owe you anything.”
Of course. We’re enemies, and that won’t change.
“Perfect”
“I’ll give you your weapons back to seal our collaboration. You can get back to your life where you left of.”
He puts down the disinfectant and heads to the door
“Leave your window open tonight.”
