Page 30 of Absentia Mori

I swallow hard, my heart racing. “Then touch me,” I beg.

He stills against me, his breath hitched. “I…No.”

If he doesn’t kill me, I might just kill him. “Then let me go,” I grit out.

He sucks in a deep breath and backs up. “Go. Before I hurt you.”

I shake my head and snicker as I wrench open the closet door. “Right. Empty. Fucking. Threats.”

Every cell in my body burns with rage and pent-up sexual frustration. The three of them will drive me mad if I don’t get the fuck out. But how can I stay away from them when I’m addicted to their sick games?

I pass a few snickering orderlies before finally finding the cafeteria. They don’t bother me, which is because of Raithe, Fabien, and Mordecai, but I hope they don’t expect me to be grateful. I’m sure they’ll turn me over to those creeps as soon as they grow bored of me. I know how it works. I’m a woman. Itdoesn’t matter how rich or pretty I am; men always lose interest. I learned that early on from my father.

My stomach grumbles when I enter. I grab a tray and fight down the bile as I get a good look at what they’re serving—watery mashed potatoes, hard bread rolls, and green beans that for sure came out of a can. Fuck, I’d give my right nipple to have a steak and martini from Swallow right now. Tenebrose Academy’s campus restaurant had the best fucking burgers too. My mouth waters thinking about it.

I sigh and let Cook load me up with today’s slop. “Enjoying your stay here, Miss Doe?”

FuckingJane Doebullshit again. “My stay? What is this, the Four Seasons? No, I’m not enjoying being forced here against my will.”

He looks down. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

“Well, you did,” I huff out. It’s not his fault, but he works here. For me, that makes him an enemy.

I look around the empty room and wonder where the rest of the patients are. “Where is everybody?”

Cook arches an eyebrow at me. “What do you mean?”

I sigh again. “The crazy people. Where are they?”

“We don’t call people crazy in here, Miss Doe.”

I snicker. “You know what I mean. Is no one else eating lunch today?”

He shakes his head. “I guess they’re not hungry.”

Nothing here makes sense. “Yeah, well, I don’t blame them. No offense, but the menu isn’t the most appetizing.”

“I do what I can.”

I wave him off and head to the farthest table away from his gross slop buffet. As I try to eat, I indulge in a little revenge fantasy where I force-feed this down the throat of the person who put me here.The faceless bastard.

My mind wanders back to Mordecai. I don’t fucking get him. He says he hates me, but his actions don’t match up. He was just as turned on as I was in that storage closet. And he seemed to care way too much about who touched me that day at Nocturnus. It was almost like he was jealous or something. Which is so fucked up for a million other reasons.

My stomach does a little somersault when I remember how he called mehis. It was fucked up and depraved, but it sparked some kind of attachment in me. Something I’ve never felt before.

I remember seeing him around Tenebrose last year. He kept to himself and never made eye contact with me. And I have a faded memory of seeing him, Raithe, and Fabien back in the poison fields. I didn’t go out there often. Only when my father wanted to parade me around in front of potential investors. I didn’t pay attention to the workers. A twinge of shame creeps into my chest. I’m not the nicest person. I’m sure I treated them poorly. But it’s not because I thought I was better than them. I just don’t get close to people. It’s easier that way. No disappointment.

As I sit here by myself in the eerie silence underneath these god-awful fluorescent lights, I’m feeling lonelier than ever. I can’t distract myself with my usual tactics here. There are no drugs, no booze, and no endless array of vapid socialites to waste my time with idle small talk. It’s just me and this room.

I choke back a sob as I put away my tray and sulk out. But with each step I take back to my room, my self-pity transforms. Anger pulses through my veins. A fury that threatens to consume me if I don’t let it out. And I know just who I want to take it out on.

Mordecai.

I jump as something slams against our door. What the fuck? I exchange a look with Raithe and Fabien. Another thump. And another. Followed by panting and shrieking.

“Is she kicking our door?” Fabien chuckles.

This fucking psycho chick.

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