Chapter 54: Silver platter
"I will protect you with my life, even if it is from afar. Your path is my path, and your dream is my dream. If you truly refuse to give me a second chance, then I will help you find your happy ending with Hezekiah," he vowed, his voice heavy with sincerity. Belle’s heart betrayed her, skipping a beat at his heartfelt words, but her mind rebelled, fueling her anger. Raising her eyebrows in disbelief, she let out a bitter laugh.
"Do not take me for a fool," she retorted sharply. "Do you think I can’t see through your plan? You think sweet words will sway me, that I will suddenly change my mind? We both know you can’t stand the thought of me being happy with another man. You would rather see me miserable." Her smirk carried the triumph of someone who believed they had exposed a hidden truth, but Quinn’s expression remained unchanged, calm, and unreadable.
"You are right," he admitted, his voice steady. "I can’t stand seeing you happy with another man." He took a deliberate step closer, his presence commanding. "But you know what else I can’t stand?" He paused, his voice low, charged with an icy threat. "Another man hurting you."
Belle’s laughter broke through the tense air, mocking and disbelieving. "Don’t worry," she said with a bitter edge, "you will be the only man to ever hurt me. That position is yours alone."
Quinn’s response was a chilling smile, the kind she despised most. Leaning forward, his gaze darkened, his expression like a storm brewing on the horizon. "As it should be," he murmured, his tone almost menacing. "So try not to get hurt by another man, or I will serve his head to you on a silver platter, even if it’s Hezekiah."
His words, laced with ominous promise, made Belle’s resolve falter. Her palms grew clammy, and her knees felt weak under the weight of his gaze. Fear stirred in her chest, but she refused to show it. "Why do you care?" She demanded, her voice trembling despite her attempt at defiance. His actions were maddeningly contradictory, one moment, she was nothing to him, the next, she was his only priority.
"You are not nothing to me, Belle," he replied, reading her mind and added, "I will kill anyone who dares hurt you."
Her breath caught in her throat. How did he know to answer the question she had in mind? Only vampires and the pure bred had that ability, including the witches but he was neither, so how come? Her eyes widened with suspicion, her voice shaking as she asked, "You... you can read my thoughts?"
Quinn’s smile vanished, replaced by a look of disdain. "Don’t compare me to those vile creatures," he sneered. "I don’t know how, but it’s like your thoughts speak to me directly."