Page 15 of King of the Unsightly

Without tearing his face from the screen, he said, “I think I should wait until you get your door fixed. Lynne says she’s taking care of a pest problem so I can stay here—”

“No.” An awkward laugh bubbled out of my throat. “I mean, it’s fine. The manager is in the office. I’ll handle it.” I grinned, hoping he wouldn’t pressure me further.

“All right. I guess I’ll see you tonight then?”

I had an urge to tell him no. I really didn’t want him to leave, but I wasn’t his girlfriend. I didn’t have the right to ask. And I also didn’t have in me to keep lying to him.

So I nodded in agreement and let him walk away from me.

I switched on every light and rushed to my dining room table. My eyes remained focused, not daring to look at the open bedroom door, nor any dark corners. Instead, they remained on the view outside the window—right on Lucien as he jumped into his Jeep and drove out of the parking lot.

My guts wrenched as he disappeared from my sight.

Nervously tapping my fingers on the side arms of the chair, I tried to ground myself. Sweat beaded near my brows, but the room held no warmth. On the contrary, a stark chill saturated the air and nipped at my neck.

A huge black blob smashed against the window, and a bloodcurdling shriek shot out of my mouth.

I almost died from heart palpitations but quickly recovered and steadied myself.

Gren pressed against the window, tilting his beak as his black eye blinked slowly at me.

Annoyed that things kept jumping out of nowhere, I still pressed my hand on the glass and let him hop in.

I dropped my chin and pointed my index finger at him. “Never again.”

My heart or sanity wouldn’t survive another jump scare. It seemed my life had turned into a horror flick, and no matter how many times someone or something popped out, I couldn’t stop screaming.

“Something’s wrong. You have to leave now.” Gren urged me forward, flailing his wings. Quakes of trepidation encased his body as he scanned the apartment.

Gren spoke again, but he talked so fast I couldn’t comprehend a word. “Hold on. Hold on. Breathe.” I reached out my hand and smoothed his feathers down.

“The others.” Gren hesitated and his vocal cords caved and his voice came out clipped. “They’re gone.” He shook his beak, not saying another word.

I opened my mouth but shut it. How could I comfort him when I couldn’t even comfort myself?

I got up and paced around and ended up settling by the stove beside the old, crusted pan of mac and cheese sitting there for god knows how long. Two, three days? A week?

My hands gripped the side of the oven, and I threw my head back and grumbled.

The possibilities were endless.

Valeria could have killed them to scare me, or someone else could be taking out the obstacles to get to me.

Should I skip town? Ah, even if I wanted to, I couldn’t afford it.

Gren’s feathers trembled, and it amplified my stress.

“It seems we’re both in a bit of a bind,” a deep voice growled from behind me.

Glamour and Death

Imade a split-second decision. The fuck if I was getting kidnapped again.

I grabbed the nearest object and swung the week-old mac and cheese pan at the intruder.

I squeezed my eyes shut and bashed with all my strength, screaming at the top of my lungs. I didn’t stop, too afraid I might hear the sound of flesh and bones getting pulverized by my kitchenware.

My clammy hands restricted my grip on the pan. I feared the worst—that it would slip through my fingers, and I would drop the only thing I had to defend myself with.

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