His Destructive, Toxic Love (Jasper and Eliza)

She stared at him, stunned. It felt like he'd slapped her hard across the face.

To him, she had always been nothing more than a toy. It was like that before, it was like that now, and it would always be that way. Their relationship would never change.

She lowered her eyelashes, choosing silence.

His large hand gripped her chin tightly, his eyes flickering with barely contained rage. "What? Did my words make you uncomfortable?"

"You were the one who asked me to set the conditions. Now you act like some virtuous woman. Who are you trying to impress? Are you keeping yourself pure for the old man who's already dead, or for Aaron?"

His mocking words cut into her heart like sharp blades. But Eliza didn't want to argue. She just looked at him calmly, watching him get angry, lose his composure, and mock her with every word.

"Speak up. Why are you silent again?" He tightened his grip on her chin, almost crushing it.

the sharp pain, frowning. "What do you want me to

a mix of helplessness and harshness in his tone. He took a deep breath. "I wanted to get along with you, to start over, Eliza, but you couldn't care less. Your

silently, but

nothing. He was

over with him She had never cared for his gestures of goodwill. She wanted him to suffer, to die.

strangers passing through each

back to Falconridge because you saved my son. I'm grateful for that, and I'm willing to do a lot for it, but... neither of us

of his mouth. "Then just wait until I'm tired of you, and

king-sized bed. The air seemed to freeze at that moment, the silence so profound that

a wave of intense