Burn Me Once Burn With Me (Ruby Grayson) novel Chapter 61

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Gennifer, suddenly feigning surprise as if she'd only just realized what had happened, stammered, "Oh! Ruby! I—I was scared. I only tried to block you when you hit me… then Cassian showed up… it startled me, that's why I hit you back. Ruby, your face doesn't hurt, does it?"

She looked up, her eyes sparkling with a hint of laughter as she turned to Cassian for support. "Cassian, please, you have to believe me. I have no idea why Ruby tried to slap me. If she really wanted to, she could've just gone ahead. I swear, I didn't mean to fight back!"

Her voice was flustered, her wide, pleading eyes never once meeting Ruby's, instead turning on Cassian with a practiced, helpless innocence.

Ruby swallowed the metallic tang in her throat, letting stray locks of hair mask the cold amusement in her eyes.

She closed them tightly, but no tears came.

At last, Ruby slowly lifted her head, her gaze locking unflinchingly on Cassian.

He took in the two angry red marks on her cheek, brow furrowing, Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed. His sharp eyes flicked over to Gennifer, but when he caught the bitter mockery in Ruby's stare, the words died in his throat. His eyes darkened and he snapped, "What's with that look?"

Ruby didn't answer. Instead, she turned her glare on Gennifer, her expression stormy and cold.

Gennifer's heart skipped a beat, but before she could gather her thoughts, Ruby tore herself free from Cassian's grip and lunged.

"Ah! Ruby, what are you doing? Cassian, help me!"

A fist! An open-handed slap!

A sharp kick!

Ruby lost count of how many times she hit or kicked her; she only knew she was putting every ounce of strength into it, grabbing Gennifer by her perfectly styled hair and raining blows down with a fury she hadn't known she possessed.

Gennifer's shrill screams filled the room—she was utterly defenseless.

"Look at you now, Gennifer," Ruby hissed in her ear, yanking her head back by those immaculate locks. "Don't you look just like an old dog, gasping for breath? Isn't it pathetic?"

"You're insane!" Gennifer shrieked, her face flushed red—only now did she finally realize why Ruby had attacked her so viciously. It wasn't about the slap. It was about that old woman, and every cruel word Gennifer had spat back then—Ruby was returning them all, with interest.

Ruby finished with a vicious slap across her face.