Page 20 of In Love with the Devil

“Proud of me? Why?”

She tilts her head with empathy filling her eyes. “Because you’ve been alone for too long, Astoria. You took your break up with Emmanuel way too hard–”

I roll my eyes while she speaks. “I didn’t take it hard. I needed time for myself. I needed to focus on my studies and finding a job.” Anger seasoning all my words. When will she realize not everyone is as sharp as she?

“Yes. I’m sorry I said that.”

“Just remember, I don’t work the same way you do, Mindy.”

“I know. So… when do I get to meet him?”

“We haven’t even gone on a date. Chill girl.”

“I guess when you’re happy and in love, you can’t help but want the same for everyone else.”She chuckles then shrugs. The smile doesn't falter from her face for a second.

“In love? Mindy, don’t you think this is going too fast? With Fernando, I mean?” My eyebrows are furrowed. I'm really surprised and confused that Mindy of all people would fall so fast and hard for a guy she just met.

“It is, but I can’t help it. I haven’t told him how I feel, though, and I won’t until he does.” She shrugs.

As I almost give into telling her the truth, I stuff my mouth with the whole tiny vanilla scone.Julian is not a nice guy, but he’s the only guy who has ever made me come.No. I can’t tell her that. What the hell is wrong with me?

“Astoria.” Mindy’s raised voice shakes me out of the Julian-trance.

“What? Something wrong?”

“I’ve been asking you if you want to go watch a movie after this, and you’ve been in la-la land.”

“Oh. Yeah, sure.”

“If this is how that guy has you before the date, you’re gonna be a zombie after.”

I chuckle.Oh, Mindy… if only you knew how fucked I really am.

It's late at night when I get home. I rush to lock every window and door, including the one in my room. He'snotgoing to get in here tonight. Feeling more confident about my safety, I take a shower.

As I’m stepping from my ensuite bathroom to the bedroom with a towel wrapped around my body, I see him. He's dressed in all black with the ghost face mask on, climbing through my window, one leg inside the room already. I scream and run to the door, unlock the two new locks before his arms wrap around my waist and pick me up, dragging me away.

"No! Let me go! Let me go!" I can’t stop screaming or kicking. The towel unravels as I struggle. His chest bounces as he laughs, muffles my words by covering my mouth.

I shake my head trying to free my mouth from his palm and manage to bite it. “Leave me alone!” He's too strong and fast. Before I can register what's happened, he slams me on the bed so hard I bounce. I hiss at the pain in my lower back from the impact, but his only response is his diabolical laughter.

“You're so fun, Astoria. Nice try.”

I’m already exhausted, out of breath and covered in sweat, trying to recover from the pain and the energy-draining fight. He hovers over me with his fists on either side of my head. Our gazes lock. The horror drowns me, rendering my thoughts useless. I hear my own breathing quicken and tremble, my heart drumming in my ear, and I can't stop myself from swallowing deep. Where as I was screaming at the top of my lungs a minute ago, now I can't get a word out. He covers the mouth of the mask with his forefinger. "Shhh."

Blood drips from the bite on his thumb to my chest. My breathing rushes as I wonder how he's going to make me pay for hurting him. Slowly, I shake my head, wanting this to not be real. He lowers his thumb to my bottom lip and wets it with the blood. By instinct, I lift my chin and his thumb slowly sweeps down my neck, then the middle of my chest. "Stop… Please."

But he doesn't stop. I pull at the sheets to cover myself, but he yanks them away, the force pulling another scream from me. He stares at me, probably enjoying the fact that he’s forcing me to stay like this: naked, vulnerable. I cover my chest with my arms and bend my legs up together, trying to hide. Surprisingly, he stands. When he walks around the bed toward the window. I take it as my chance and run towards the bathroom. But within seconds, my hair follicles scream from the pain of him pulling on my hair. He yanks so hard I fall and he drags me back toward the bed.

"Fuck!" I cuss at the rug burn and the headache that he's giving me.

“I brought you a gift.”He places the gift bag on the bed right next to me.

“I don’t want your gifts. I want you to leave me the fuck alone.”The only reason why I can dare to speak to him like this is because I'm not looking at him. I'm staring at the bed.

“Take it.”

I ignore him.

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