Page 37 of Rot

I said not a word to him as he drove us home, and I went straight up to my room. I fiddled with some homework, though my mind was elsewhere. Jordan texted me lots—the boy was super excited about tonight. He couldn’t wait. Blah, blah, blah. It all felt like too much, honestly. Like he was trying too hard.

Aunt Maggie was home today, so she dragged my mother out of the basement and forced her to cook dinner with her. Meatloaf and potatoes. It was only when we sat down at the table, food on all our plates, the sounds of forks scraping against them filling the air, that I told them about my date with Jordan.

“I’m sorry, I should’ve told you earlier, but Jordan’s picking me up at seven,” I said, staring at my mother, though, again, out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Elias stiffen and frown.

My mother said nothing right away. Her eyes looked more and more bloodshot with each passing day. She’d lost a bit of weight, too. Come to think of it, on the weekends, I didn’t see her come up to the kitchen to eat breakfast or lunch.

“Are you sure that’s…” She paused, the expression on her face telling only to me. “Wise?”

All I could do was smile at my mother, but Aunt Maggie said, “That’s wonderful, honey.” When my mother looked at her for backup, all she added was a shrug and the words, “It’s Friday. Prime date night. It’s good to see you getting out of the house and making friends.” Words that, perhaps, my own mother should’ve told me.

But she’d never say anything like that.

“I’m not sure when I’ll be back,” I stated, hiding my glee in the face of Elias’s scowl.

Aunt Maggie stared at my mother, as if waiting for her to speak, but when she said not a word, my aunt took it upon herself to say, “You are eighteen. It’s time to show your mother that you can make smart decisions on your own.” All that to say she was okay with no curfew, I assumed.

And why would she? She’d basically had Elias on his own these past few years, working crazy hours as she did. She probably knew her son got up to things when he was alone… or perhaps she was as frightened of him as my mother was of me—she just did a better job at hiding it.

I ate a little of the meatloaf and the potatoes, but not much. Truthfully, I wasn’t that hungry, and beyond that, I didn’t want to fill up too much before the date. I was the first to excuse myself from the table and head upstairs. Had a date to get ready for, you know.

Not that I was primping for Jordan. No, tonight I wanted to look good for Elias. Whether he came or not, he’d certainly watch me leave the house, all brooding and sullen and angry about it. I wanted him to see how good I could look, to wish he was in Jordan’s place.

I’d never go so far as to claim I was a master manipulator, but when it came to Elias… well, let’s just say I had the feeling my antagonistic moves were exactly what he needed.

Elias was so used to Blackrain and everyone in it. A spoiled boy, really. It was a good thing I brought fresh life into this dull town, that my new blood started fires. I’d get what I wanted, mark my words.

And we all knew what I wanted by now.

I went for black leggings that had some animal print on them—also black, so the marks blended into the leggings. You could only tell there was a design on them if you paid close attention in the light. I paired it with ankle-high, studded boots and a thin V-neck shirt that, when I moved just the right way, dipped low enough to get a glimpse of my bra.

I was going for a teasing look, obviously. Sexy but teasing.

It was as I was applying makeup in the bathroom that I noticed I had an audience. I straightened out, set my mascara down, and turned to my lone audience member, wearing a low smile.

Elias stood, his jaw tense, his lips a thin line, leaning on the door frame to the bathroom. His black eyes stared daggers at me, the intensity coming off him in waves so strong I almost shivered. It was impossible not to remember that night, when he’d led me in here and gotten in the shower with me, when he’d made me sink to my knees before him and… you know.

He tossed a glance down the hall before bringing that stare back to me and saying, “I told you not to see Jordan anymore. You don’t fucking listen, do you?”

“Jealous?” I asked in a breathy whisper. He should be. All of this was for him, after all.

Elias appeared as if he wanted to bully his way into the bathroom, corner me, and remind me of everything he’d said to me that night, when he’d snuck into my room and given me a lesson only he could, but he managed to hold back—probably only because his mother could walk up the stairs at any given moment and walk by.

“Why would I be jealous of Jordan?” The words were growled out from his chest, all thunderous and manly. He really did have it mastered.

I stepped closer to him, craning my head back so I could gaze up into his eyes. Couldn’t forget the height difference between us. “I don’t know. You tell me.” My voice dropped when I added, “You tell me why you care so much about me not seeing Jordan.”

His nostrils flared. I bet it took everything in him to hold back from me, to not lash out, take me by the neck, and spin me around so my back slammed against the wall. Choke me, kiss me, fuck me. And, again, I bet the only reason he didn’t remind me of all the things he’d said to me during that night of passion was because we weren’t exactly behind closed doors.

“Why don’t you come to the party?” I suggested. “Dana will probably be there. I bet she’ll love to see you. That’s what she was saying at lunch, wasn’t it? She wants you to go to the party, too, so you guys can hook up again.” I’d never said I’d baited anyone before this. I’d hesitate to call that a trap, but it was.

I wanted to see what he’d say, what he’d do. If he’d come to the party for Dana… or for me, because, let’s be real, there was no way Elias was going to stay home tonight.

Elias’s gaze dropped, and my breath caught in the back of my throat. I couldn’t tell if he was staring at my lips or at my chest. Either way, it didn’t matter. Both my lips and my chest would be leaving this house soon enough, and by the time they did, he better make up his mind.

“You,” he muttered with a frown, “are so annoying.”

I shrugged, turning my back to him to start cleaning up my makeup off the counter. I didn’t care about being annoying. I was only giving Elias a taste of his own medicine. Elias swore under his breath and stormed off, leaving me be.

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