Kai Villalvazo’s Nemesis (The Kalon Tetralogy #1)

Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

SINKING — LUV SCARS

? YASMINA ?

I didn’t change my mind.

My father never raised a coward, and that’s why by 6:00 a.m. on the dot, I was outside Kai’s room, waiting for Lucian to take my suitcases out.

“Where are you going with all that?” Was the first question the asshole asked me when he stepped out of his own room, holding one small duffel bag.

“Same place as you.”

“I don’t think you need all that. Be reasonable. I swear it's just three days, four at most.” He eyed the massive suitcases in disapproval.

“You never know what you might need. I can't leave my curling iron, or my makeup kit, or?—”

“What you need is help,” Kai nonchalantly cut me off.

“You're right. This suitcase needs to be taken out.” I pointed at the biggest one.

“Mental help,” he rephrased, and I laughed ludicrously.

“And you don’t? I smell double standards.” I folded my arms with a raised brow.

“I didn’t say I didn’t.” He half-shrugged. Fuck, this guy always had a comeback and it got on my last nerve.

He was dressed in all-black as usual, looking sexy as ever with his wet, dark hair and bright heterochromatic orbs. Even his triple scar gave him a god-like aura. It was almost ethereal were it not for his cryptic darkness. His eyes were fascinating as usual, and it was way too early for him to be looking like a rare, priceless art piece.

“Whatever. Whose car are we using?”

“My Range Rover,” Kai murmured while watching Lucian carry my bag out of the room. He seemed to be calculating what kind of load we were going to be putting in his car.

“So, what exactly did you carry in there?”

“Lingerie,” I simply answered while walking to the elevator with Lucian.

“Interesting. You’ve come prepared for your downfall, I see.” He gave me a tiny smirk as realisation dawned on me.

“Not for you, Vazalo.” I rolled my eyes as we all got into the elevator.

“I can still work with that. If anything, I prefer you don’t have any obstructions to make things easier for me.” He spoke as though Lucian wasn’t right there.

Yeah, he really was insane.

“Do you even hear yourself?”

“Does it matter if I do?” He tilted his head, his stare way too interested for my liking.

“Whatever. This conversation is over,” I said and on cue, the elevator opened.

His garage was right next to mine, so it was easy to get to his brand new, sparkling, glossy grey Range Rover. A limited edition where there were only sixteen of them in the whole world.

He opened the passenger door and I internally marvelled at the ceramic switchgear, the rich ebony interior that matched his outfit, and the Aniline leather. I simply wasn’t going to show him I was impressed.

What mainly caught my eye was how he had snacks everywhere: crisps, biscuits, granola bars, candy, you fucking name it. Even the boot was full of boxes of food. I instinctively laughed.

No wonder he was built like a prototype. He was a big foodie.

“What's so funny?” He tilted his head while reaching his large hand into a packet of gummy bears. The sight of such an intimidating man like him doing something as normal as eating gummy bears was truly amusing.

“You and all this food. Are you going to finish everything on your own?”

“In case you can't process our situation, there’s two of us. We need food for survival,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone. I simply huffed.

“I carried food, too,” I pouted, thinking about all the healthy stuff I packed.

“That’s nice, but I'm not strictly a herbivore. So, I’ll pass on the garden you brought along.” He chewed a green bear, his eyes psychoanalysing everything and anything around him. He was highly attentive to every little stimulus and it was almost fascinating.

“It's not a garden, Vazalo. Just because I eat greens at the table doesn’t mean?—”

“Name one unhealthy product you packed,” he spoke nonchalantly, as if knowing I wouldn’t do such.

“I have crackers, they're gluten-free, though?—”

“You might need to revisit your definitions. I said unhealthy .” Kai raised a perfectly trimmed brow, his thick, dark lashes fluttering whenever he blinked.

You're not jealous. You're not jealous. You're not ? —

“Have you ever considered not stepping on my toes?” I frowned up at him as he calmly ate a handful of gummy bears, leaning against his car with one leg crossed over the other.

“I have, but that doesn’t mean I’ll act on it,” he simply replied. My ears heated up as I clenched my fists.

He's not going to get to you. Not today, Yasmina.

“Sounds intelligent,” I mocked while putting my small bag on the passenger seat.

“Really? Thanks.” He shrugged and I shook my head to myself. Arguing with Kai was a futile effort, and I was slowly learning not to try.

I hugged Lucian goodbye and I swear I saw Kai glare from the corner of my eye. Perhaps that was just another figment of my imagination.

I got into the passenger’s seat as Kai revved the loud engine, switching the gear before I even settled. I simply ignored him then took my time to close the door and put my seatbelt on before slipping my headphones on.

This was going to be a long ass journey—I came prepared with a thirty-hour playlist and a bunch of novels. Yelena forced me not to carry any school books and use this time to relax, instead.

I gripped my seatbelt when Kai basically sped out of the prestigious gates, his huge, dexterous hand swerving the steering wheel like a pro. His veins made it look a thousand times more attractive than it should have been, and I forced myself to look away and focus on my book.

I don’t like him. I don’t like him. I don’t ? —

“We’re not going to crash, kücük tavsan .” He spoke calmly and that’s when I realised how my knuckles had turned white from clutching my book. I removed one side of my headphones, realising that I hadn’t set the noise-cancelling or the music up, either.

“Well maybe if you drove a bit slower, then I wouldn’t have to worry.” I glared at his side-view, hating how his fragrance intoxicated me and how his proximity made my skin prickle.

He shouldn’t have this much effect on me.

“Unfortunately, that won't be possible. I'm driving the slowest I possibly can and I'm not much of a generous man.” He kept his eyes on the road, but his deep, silky voice filled the atmosphere like a sensual symphony.

“Just know that if I die, my ghost will haunt you.” I poked his strong bicep, and the action barely affected him.

“If that’s supposed to scare me, try again, kücük tavsan .” His apathetic persona became more apparent with each passing second.

“I think you left your heart in your mother’s womb.” I smiled widely, bringing my legs up to hug them.

“There are so many theories about me. Why don’t you test yours and cut me open?” His unbothered tone was so infuriating, but I wasn’t going to react to satisfy him.

“That sounds like a plan, but since I’ll be tempted to leave you open, I won't do so.”

“If your game about having my ghost and its ghosts haunting you, then by all means.” His demeanour barely changed and this time, I faked another smile then put the other side of my headphone back in place.

I turned my music up, drowning in the words and immersing myself in the world of the novel I was reading. If fictional characters came to life, then that would solve all my life problems. I wouldn’t have to deal with the likes of Kai.

The car ride was silent for the next few hours as I read and vibed to my music. Kai hadn’t bothered me, either, instead, driving at high speed like a professional. I could feel the purr of the engine in my gut, but that didn’t bother me.

Trouble began when my eyelids got fucking heavy. I fought the weakness for a couple of hours before drinking some water and shaking my head. Kai was so calm and unfazed, but I knew he knew that I was moments away from falling asleep.

We’d been on the road for five hours now, anyway.

My food was in the boot and I was so hungry that my stomach openly protested. I folded my arms and stared out of the window, hoping that the amazing view of snow and pine trees would make me forget about the hunger.

“You're not going to die if you eat a bag of crisps, you know?” Kai’s voice took me by surprise, but I didn’t look at him.

He suddenly stopped in the middle of the road then reached for something in the back. He held out a lunchbox in my direction and I eyed it with suspicion.

“Macaroni cheese and bacon, do something about your stomach.” He basically shoved the glass lunchbox into my lap before returning his attention to the road.

The macaroni’s aroma was mouthwatering when I opened the container. It looked appetising, but I contemplated the calories, which were soon forgotten when I dug the fork into the food and shoved it into my mouth. I hummed in pleasure as the flavours combusted in my mouth, caressing my taste buds so good that I took another mouthful. And another. And another.

I stole a glance at him and noticed that he had a tiny smile tugging at his lips, but it vanished within seconds. Whatever his issues were, they were serious.

It was so good that I finished the entire container by myself, my insides screaming in happiness. It had been a while since I'd eaten something so delicious. I'd regret it later, but for now, I felt satisfied.

I even accepted the small carton of fruit juice that he handed me, suddenly relieved that he had carried his entire kitchen. Celery juice didn’t sound appetising right now.

I sighed as my body visibly relaxed. I didn’t put my headphones back on, instead, continuing with my novel in the comfortable silence. I got to a scene where the male main character was fucking the female main character in a swimming pool, and I smiled, holding the book to my chest.

Fiction always helped me forget about my problems and miseries. I didn’t even realise that Kai had caught on and was smirking.

“Any reason why you're blushing?”

“Nothing. Nothing at all.” I shook my head and he hummed.

“Is it the dirty talk you like? Or the sex position?” He didn’t bother sugar-coating it and I was certain that I was a tomato now. He read the book?

Come to think of it, I mysteriously woke up without my panties some time ago and thought I'd unconsciously removed them before bed. I squinted my eyes at him, unable to believe it. How long has he been watching me sleep? How did he make it past the security codes and fingerprint requirements?

It was creepy as fuck.

“I don’t know what you're talking about?—”

“Enzo, he's fucking Julie. Judging by the pages left, you're probably reading the pool scene.” I gaped, wondering how long it took him to finish the long book.

“You have a copy?” He shook his head and that only meant one thing. He had read mine, and that explained why my pages were bookmarked every time I woke up after accidentally falling asleep with the book in my hands. I had thought it to be Lucian trying something new, but the fact that Kai entered my room every night made me very unsettled.

We didn’t talk after that, and I unashamedly continued with my book.

I was reading a line repeatedly after some minutes. My head felt heavy, so I blinked slowly to rest my eyes. Somewhere along the process, I forgot to open my eyes. I forgot to open them and even dreamt behind the lids.

I reopened them after a minute to find Kai staring at me with a sparkling glint in his silver eye. I had learnt that the silver eye intensified whenever he was excited, amused, or interested in something.

The gold rarely had a sparkle; I’d only seen that once.

“First strike, kücük tavsan ,” he murmured, his finger running over my cheek. I shivered and pushed his hand away.

“I was just resting my eyes,” I protested, but a ghost smile appeared on his lips.

“You’ve been in this position for three hours. I even stopped by a store and you didn’t budge.”

“I…take longer to rest my eyes.” I ran a hand through my hair.

“There’s a term for what you were doing, and it's called sleeping .” His canines flashed for a brief second when he bit his lip.

Holy shit, why was that…sexy?

"No—"

"Yes, baby. That's one strike.” He smirked, turning off the ignition. That's when I realised we were parked in front of a big cabin house.

"We're not proceeding?" I questioned. He simply gestured to the snow outside.

There was a dangerous blizzard and it had fogged up the entire place. There was simply no way we could drive through it. We'd die or accidentally drive off the mountain.

"Let's get inside before you turn into a popsicle." He opened his door, a sharp gust of wind and snow blowing into the car before he shut it.

I watched him offload everything and take it to the cabin. He unlocked the door with the key that Coach gave him, then effortlessly put our necessities inside.

He was gone for some time, so I revelled in the beauty of snowy atmosphere and the massive, coated trees that stretched all the way above us. It gave off a slightly ominous vibe, but I loved the view of the massive mountains in the distance. I oddly felt safe and secure knowing Kai was here with me.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when my door was opened and I flinched when the icy cold engulfed me.

I met Kai's intense stare and I couldn't help but marvel at how perfect he looked with his hair adorned with specks of snow. His eyes looked brighter in the dimness and it was such a shame he was an untamed asshole.

"Are you going to get out or should I do it for you?" His voice was impassive, it chilled me to the core.

"I thought you said you weren't a generous man." I furrowed my brows.

"Smart girl. So, in that case, get out before we do things my way."

I challenged his gaze, and it was becoming darker and unbearable by the minute. It was almost demonic. My slight fear oozed into the atmosphere and by the way his smirk widened by an inch, he could smell it.

"I won't repeat myself. If I do, I won't be verbal about it." His cool, detached voice echoed, and while I was game about pushing him a little more, I didn't want to know exactly what he was capable of.

Not today.

I took my stuff then slipped out of the car with a huff, pouting at the fact that I had to be paired with this brooding, moody guy.

Why couldn't I be paired with Ethan, for fuck's sake?

I got into the cabin and smiled at how warm and welcoming it looked. Most things were made from wood and bricks, giving it a rustic, vintage vibe. The counters were a dark marble colour, the floors hardwood and spotless. Kai had lit up a fire in the fireplace.

I flinched when he placed some boxes on the counter then shut the door. I didn't turn to him, instead, going up the small stairs to the room.

I opened the door and gasped at the cottage style setup, from the large window that had a view of everything below, to the massive bed draped in thick blankets and a grey duvet.

There was a fireplace in here as well, then a bathroom to the left. From the slightly open door, I could tell it was themed black and brown, the drawers made from what seemed to be oakwood.

I sighed in happiness as I thought about finally getting into bed and passing out until tomorrow morning. I was utterly exhausted.

I left the room then looked at the rest of the place. And when I got back to the middle of the living room, an ugly realisation finally dawned on me.

There was one bedroom. And one bed.

Fucking hell.

I didn't like the sound of this at all.

"I think we took Austin and Laken's cabin. There must be two beds," I said thoughtfully, but as usual, Kai didn't respond. He was busy looking at some cans and probably contemplating what we'd have for dinner.

"You should start practising gratitude. At least you've got somewhere to sleep that's not the floor or fucking outside." He surprised me with a response, and I scowled further.

There was something behind his voice. Maybe anger, or bitterness, I wasn't sure which. This guy clearly had a closet full of skeletons. And issues.

I didn't dwell on it and simply went to change into some comfortable, warm clothes. The cabin was so warm and insulated, so I didn't have to layer much.

By the time I got out, Kai was nowhere to be found in the house. I moved to the curtain and pulled it back, only to find him outside, axe in hand, chopping some wood on top of a platform. It was only then that I realised how truly, frighteningly tall and massive this man was.

His figure summoned all attention and consumed the space, I was certain he could fight a bear and rip it to shreds.

His huge bicep flexed with each lift, and his terrifying strength descended so swiftly that the entire log split in half. His power was…lethal. He looked like an alpha male, dangerous and aggressive as he effortlessly split the logs like a machine. In the cold, he hardly shivered. Instead, his pale skin glistened with perspiration.

His rigid muscles were outlined by his accentuating turtleneck, and I involuntarily bit my lip as I noticed his sinewy abs and ripped back muscles that rippled deliciously with each muscle contraction. I'd never seen anyone sculpted so perfectly; he'd qualify as a masterpiece in the museum.

He huffed for a second, and his senses went in overdrive the moment he paused. Without thinking, he turned his head in my direction, his eyes fixated on me. I clenched my thighs when I felt some warmth seep out, a slow throb forming in the process.

There was something revealing about the eye contact, and it made me blush. He didn't make a move to look away. If anything, he was starting to look very interested, and the same unhinged look from before was starting to consume his features.

I moved away from the window before it spiralled out of control. How was I supposed to cohabit with Kai? He was nowhere near normal and his presence made my skin burn.

In fact, the cabin was starting to feel like a sauna.

I was delusional to feel safe with him earlier.

I busied myself with making some dinner. I was not a chef, but I could put something together for survival. I picked out some canned tomatoes from the cans Kai arranged chronologically by the expiry date and some meatballs, then cut up some onions.

His psychopathic tendencies were already reflecting in the way he arranged everything around here.

The pots had been moved so the handles faced the same direction, away from the edge. He had colour-coded all the food items and packets and to top it all off, changed the book arrangement on the bookshelf, and equally packed them on the shelf according to colour and topic.

Now that I was looking at it, everything was so…in order. Spotless. And he did it all in record time.

I boiled some spaghetti over the burner stove then cooked the meatballs and soup. I hummed at the delicious aroma, then chopped up some parsley and chives to garnish the Bolognese.

Kai walked back in with so much wood while I was in the midst of setting the table. I briefly glanced at him then resumed with wiping the plates we were going to use.

He was gone for a while, and I assumed he was showering by the water sounds that came from the bathroom. After straining the pasta and putting the food into bowls, I sat at my place and patiently waited for him.

When he returned, he was clearly surprised to see me waiting, but that, of course, was very brief.

We both ate in silence while I finished the remaining chapters of my novel.

I had been worried about Kai's reaction to my cooking, but he went for seconds, so I took that as a good sign. In fact, he finished the rest of the food on his own and I couldn't resist a smile. He clearly took his food seriously.

"You liked it?" I tilted my head, looking away from my book to meet his cold gaze.

"What do you think?" He tilted his head in the same direction as mine and I pouted.

"Ugh, you're so difficult." I shook my head and flipped a page.

"It's always good to provoke you. Keeps your busy, little brain occupied." His shoulders seemed to be taking up all the space, and I felt so tiny in his presence.

I didn't bother with a response, instead, sipping my green juice and attempting to understand what I was reading.

And failing at it.

We surprisingly cleared the dishes together then sat by the couch, focusing on our own thing while the fire crackled. His presence was not one to be ignored, though. I couldn't even understand the last few pages of the book with his strong, delicious fragrance sucking the self-control out of me, his body warmth radiating a few inches away from me.

He was casually doing a complex crossword, his left hand writing the answers every five seconds and I was suddenly curious about what kind of crossword it was.

"I know that I'm good-looking, but turn the staring down a notch." His deep, calm voice made me jump, and a heat crept up my neck.

"I never said that."

"Why else are you staring at me like that?" Kai asked while continuing his crossword.

"I'm just…observing your crossword." I moved closer to see the numbers.

He didn't flinch or react when I got close, instead, resuming with his mathematical crossword. For some, he was working out on the space below then transferring his answer. He was acting as though I wasn’t even there.

"Is this your idea of fun?" I asked, a hint of mockery accentuating my tone.

"What's it to you?" Kai was just so mean and detached, it bothered me.

"We're staying together, at least pretend to be friendly," I murmured in annoyance.

"But I'm not. So why should I be fake?"

"It's not being fake. It's…socialising." I threw my arms in defeat.

"If you want my attention, just say so, kücük tavsan ." The side of his perfect lips quirked.

Since I was bored, I decided to push his limits a little. "Yes, I do want your attention."

Apparently, that was a wrong move because he set the crossword aside and fully faced me, staring down with that interested look from before.

And if it wasn't my illusion, it was so primal and raw this time.

"Get on my lap." It was a simple command, but the weight it held was inexplicable. It made me shiver from skin to bone.

When I didn't respond, he chuckled deeply, the sound so amused but promising terror. Maybe I should have told him I was joking, then we'd call it a night. The aspect of getting on top of him made my pulse race, and he was so unpredictable.

"A little too late to back out now, kücük tavsan . You're getting cold feet already?" He was mocking me, and he knew it would spark something in me.

Since he enjoyed playing mind games, I decided to go along with it. Shake him up a little.

I calmly got up and crawled onto his lap, my legs straddling him, then I wrapped my arms around his broad, sharp shoulders. I tilted my head with a smile, coming face to face with him. I had been a while since I'd felt such a pure masculine body against mine like so.

Up close, he was absolutely breathtaking. His beauty was celestial, literally. It made me want to check if he was real or not.

His hand boldly settled on my waist and I felt my heart thump harder; I was scared he'd hear it. But of course, Kai never misses anything.

"You're nervous," he simply said and I laughed.

"I'm not nervous." I placed my hand on his firm, rock-hard chest and smirked when I felt his erratic heartbeat. “Your heart is beating fast, too.”

"Yeah, that’s all it ever does when I'm around you, nothing new. Now, if you're not nervous, sit." His amusement gleamed a thousand times brighter in his heterochromatic eyes.

He wanted me to sit on his bulge, and I involuntarily swallowed at the thought. Without thinking twice, I arched my back slightly then sat on him.

I bit back a moan when I came in contact with pelvis. He was clearly turned on because I could feel his hardness beneath me. I gasped softly when he pushed me further down until I was sitting directly on him.

Kai was massive. He was actually so massive it made my eyes widen. I didn't even want to know what was beyond his sweatpants. Just the thought of how huge he was made my pussy pulse involuntarily.

"You're thinking of my cock, aren't you?" he asked without any shame and I gaped.

"No, I'm not. Why would you even think that?" I stared into his hypnotic eyes, fighting once again for my sanity.

"I can feel your pussy talking, and I like what I'm hearing." He was so nonchalant about it, I tried to get out of his lap, but failed miserably.

He was starting to turn me on and his voice had gotten softer, if that was possible.

My eyes narrowed and I bit my lip with a smile, running my hand through his silky, inky hair. Something I'd been dying to do.

I loathed my blatant attraction to him. But I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing that.

I moved sensually and his fingers dug into my hip. The other hand moved to hold my thigh so as to keep me in position.

Hmm, so he does have a weak spot.

I did it again and this time, the hand moved to my throat, cutting my airways for a hot minute. When he let go, I inhaled deeply to compensate for the time I lost air.

“ Siktir . I suggest you don't do that, unless you're looking forward to a thorough fucking." The slow, sexual drawl of his voice made me clench in stimulation and I tried to bring my thighs together, but he obviously stopped me. Fuck .

His accent had no business being that hot.

"So, you do want to fuck me," I purred, challenging his gaze once again while I toyed with the chain around his neck. He never took it off and I wondered why.

"I follow my heart when provoked. And you're provoking me, kücük tavsan ." His index finger traced my pulse, his silver eye sparkling in the dim, orange hues from the fire.

He was probably having one of the craziest thoughts while he felt my main artery pulse in my neck and it showed by the manic look that licked his features for a hot millisecond.

I was getting into the lion's den with no fear whatsoever. I was going to regret it, but I was always up for a good challenge.

"So what if I provoke you? Wouldn't you like to know…how I taste?" I whispered innocently, moving to kiss the side of his strong neck gently.

Wow, his skin was so soft I almost licked him. I blame it on his manly scent that was rewiring my brain bit by bit.

Kai didn't respond. He was starting to psychoanalyse and calculate something in his mind, I could sense it. He was getting suspicious about my compliance, mainly because I wasn't inebriated.

Before he could think too much, I kissed him. I wasn't sure where the confidence came from, but my lips moved against his and fuck…they felt so tender. Nothing like I'd ever felt in my life. I’d been wanting to do that for a long time.

At first, he barely reacted. But I wasn't ready for the way his hand threaded through my hair and brought my mouth even closer so he could kiss the life out of me.

He seemed to be sucking the soul out of me as his mouth moved sensually, with a calm but dominantly erotic rhythm that made me so wet. I shamelessly moaned into his mouth, and now my core was an inferno as he brought his tongue out to lick my bottom lip.

Everything dissolved around me as he claimed me, and a high I've never felt flooded me. There was something about the way he kissed. It was so consuming, so addictive, like he was born for it. I felt alive in a way I'd never before, and it had me clinging to his shoulders for stability.

He viciously bit, licked, and sucked hard, as though urging me to regret initiating the kiss, but I thrived on pain and his savagery. I bit and sucked with equal fervour, and it was an intense clash of teeth, lips and tongues.

He pulled away just when I wanted more, licking his lips slowly. I was so dazed that I could hardly think or breathe, and I brought my hand up to my glistening lips.

God, it had felt so dangerously euphoric. I shouldn't have done that. I was slowly ripping at seams.

"Go to the bedroom, before I do something I’ll regret.” And just like that, he relapsed back to his usual, aloof persona and I scowled.

The kiss probably didn't mean jack shit to him. It didn't to me either, but my heart was getting silly ideas.

I slipped off him without another word and got up, pushing any stupid emotions I felt aside.

He was not that type of guy. What was I even expecting from someone I didn't like?

Get it together, Yasmina.

I headed to the bedroom, got ready for bed, then checked my phone for a while. The network was bad, but I managed to text Kendrick, Yelena, and my dad.

I took my headphones from the nightstand and went to my favourite playlist. I had a few more pages in my book to finish, after all.

Five minutes into it, I realised I was too delusional to think I'd brush the kiss off. I was still replaying the scene in my mind over and over again, his taste still engraved in my mouth.

As if the thoughts summoned him, he walked into the bedroom and glanced at the side of the bed I'd taken before moving to open the other side.

He disappeared into the bathroom while I mindlessly finished off my thoroughly annotated book, then took my journal to make an entry for the day.

Of course, I was going to write about the kiss. It was so good that I hated it with every fibre in me. I hated that it had meant nothing to him. Kisses were usually intimate, and it had felt intimate, but he obviously didn’t want anything to do with me.

Why couldn't he have a face and body that matched his awful personality?

Kai lit up the bedroom fireplace and I secretly watched his back muscles contract and relax with each movement. They were so defined, the tight cords rippling so effortlessly, it made me bite my lip.

It was strictly physical attraction. I barely liked the guy. We were rivals, we were not meant to fall in love or have feelings for each other.

"The couch is always an option," I said quietly, not wanting him anywhere near me. He ignored me for a while before putting his arms on the bed and leaning towards me. God help me, his scent drove me so crazy.

"An option means it's vulnerable to choice. And I've made my choice, making the couch an opportunity cost. Simple economics." He shrugged nonchalantly before moving to the light.

I rolled my eyes when he wasn't looking, then shrieked when he turned off the light. He turned it back on and gave me a confused look.

"I can't sleep in the dark," I said timidly, remembering how the monsters attack me in the darkness.

"Well today, you'll learn something new?—"

"No, Vazalo. I get nightmares," I protested, openly panicking before him. I couldn’t have a snowboarding nightmare in this crucial period.

“You won't. I'll hold you so your demons don’t come near, if that’s what you want.”

"No. I don't want you to touch me," I scowled.

"Suit yourself, kücük tavsan ."

"Rock paper scissors. Please." I reached a compromise and he smirked, but held up a fist.

We played three times and Kai obviously won. I huffed in despair as I thought of an excuse.

"The animals might attack us?—"

"I locked the door four times, relax. Besides, I'm here. Nothing will happen."

"But—"

"Don't be paranoid, I'm right beside you." He proceeded to turn off the light and got under the blankets. At least the fire was glowing.

"It’s going to die soon, so I suggest you fall asleep right away," Kai murmured, as if reading my thoughts.

"I hate you," I mumbled before covering my head.

Last thing I felt was his arm wrapping around my waist when I shivered, then fell deeper into my slumber.