Defining Darkness - K E Osborn Page 0,8

knees, desperation in my voice.

He turns his lip up at me. “She’s gone.”

Fear cripples me, but somehow, I manage to jump from the bed right in front of him, my hands gripping onto the leather of his cut and shake him. “What do you mean?”

He grabs my wrists, yanking my hands free. The second his hands touch me, a spark shoots up my arms slamming straight into my chest. I gasp at the shock as he throws me onto the bed. “Don’t you ever, and I mean ever, touch my cut without my permission,” he pants out like he’s having trouble breathing as we stare at each other.

My eyes lock onto his chocolate orbs.

I should be scared of him.

I should be quaking in my damn shoes.

But there’s something, something about this man that has my heart racing.

He puts up a front. He’s built a wall, bricking himself over to the world. I’m not sure why. I don’t know him well enough, but I do know something’s happened to make him this way. I see right through him.

His eyes give him away.

The spark of light shining through, it’s like a beacon of hope.

I sit up slowly. He watches me, trying to gauge my next move. I stand back in front of him while his eyes don’t leave me, even a second, as I place my hand over his chest. He jerks his head back in shock.

I swallow a lump in my throat, my pulse racing so hard I feel like my veins might burst. “I see you.” His forehead crinkles like he can’t read me at all. “Tell me your name,” I whisper.

His nostrils flare as he takes my hand, more gently this time, removing it from his chest, but he doesn’t let my hand go. Instead, his thumb grazes over my skin. The tightness in his expression shows he’s internally struggling with something.

“You’re an enigma, Chiquita.”

I can’t describe the feelings running through me.

I’m terrified.

But I am calm.

Something about him soothes me. “Please?” I beg.

His hand tightens on mine as he clenches his eyes shut, his face scrunching like he’s annoyed, but he opens his eyes, and light shines back at me. Moving his other hand up, he slides a strand of hair behind my ear. I let him because I don’t have the willpower right now to stop him.

His eyes are drawing me in.

I’m trapped in his intense stare.

There’s something equally as haunting as there is enlightening about his eyes.

I want to know everything about him.

But first—his name.

“Please, what’s your name?”

“Nycto,” he replies.

I tilt my head in confusion. “Is that a nickname?”

“My road name.”

Exhaling, I lick my bottom lip. I want to know the man, not some damn persona he portrays. “What’s your real name?” I ask gently.

The light dims from his eyes. I see it, the moment the wall goes back up.

I’ve lost him.

Nycto drops his hand from mine, taking a step back. “That’s not for you to know.” His gruff tone is back.

Anger swarms through me. Dammit, I thought we were making progress. If the bastard wants to shut down, so can I. “Where. Is. My. Sister?” I ask forcefully.

He grunts, turning away from me, walking over to his desk and putting distance between us. “She was sold.”

“What do you mean?” I whisper.

Nycto faces me, his eyes not meeting mine. “That’s all you need to know. She’s gone, Eva.”

Tears flood my eyes, but I blink them away as an overwhelming sense of heaviness weighs on my shoulders. I told her I would always protect her. Ivy’s my baby sister. Sure, she just turned twenty-one, but she’s still so young at heart. She doesn’t comprehend the world like I do. I had to grow up quickly when our parents died. I became the adult. Ivy doesn’t know how to survive, not on her own.

“Why didn’t you take her in? Why me? She needs protecting, not me,” I yell at him.

“She’s not like you, Eva.”

“What the hell does that even mean?” I throw my hands in the air.

Nycto stalks over to me again. My skin prickles in goosebumps at the way he’s watching me. My breathing hitches the closer he gets.

Stupid reactive body.

“You’re not suitable for that life. You’re too… good. Too pure. I couldn’t stand watching you go to them.”

“Them? Who’s them?”

Nycto runs his hands through his hair in frustration. “This is going nowhere. You’re staying here, in this room, until I tell you it’s safe to come out. Your sister’s gone. Grieve. Scream. Deal the fuck with it