Chapter 9

So that he won't repeat himself, she stammered, "I was try-trying to pick Ab-Abby's call. I promise I wasn't tryi-trying to run away."

He chuckled at her desperate attempt to make the lie believable. "Pretty little liar, your face betrays a lot, sadly." He placed the back of his palm on her cheeks, his face dark. "You can't run from me, Maya; no matter how hard you try to, I'll always find you. Even in the deepest part of hell. And when I find you, you get punished according to how long you were away from me, understand?"

His tone was so soft that it could have fooled anyone but not her. She could see through him, and she trembled under his touch.

"Y-yes, maestro." She kept eye contact with him.

He smiled and kissed her tender lips. Surprisingly, he didn't bite or gnaw—just light, feathery kisses around her face.

"I'm sorry I hurt you; I didn't want to, but you made me do it. I wasn't myself; I just wanted you to focus on me. Just me without faking it." he mad