Page 157 of House of Lilith

I feel blood rush to my cheeks, but he doesn’t wait for a reaction. His eyes narrowing, he asks, “That’s…normalto you?”

“What if it is?” I snap at him.

“Fuck me harder, huh?” he replies as he gets in my face, his nostrils now flaring.

I ball my hands into fists, my mind threatening to implode at the very thought of him having heard that.

“And don’t you think,” he drawls as he lifts a finger at me, “even for a second, that I didn’t hear the filth you lethimspew intoyourear.”

It makes me want to snap his fucking neck. “Let me guess,” I rush to jump in, fighting not to start fucking yelling, “the moment we finish this conversation, you’ll be running to my mother with that?”

To my surprise, he shoots me a confused look, taking a step back as he slides his hands into his pockets.

“No, I won’t be telling anyone,” he says in a lower, more serious voice, making my eyebrows shoot up. “I’ll keep it all to myself and I’ll give you a little time to think.Reallythink about your future and how you imagine it.” He pauses for a second. “You know what I think will happen when you do?”

I let out an angry scoff. “Please,tell me.”

“You’ll come to realize, Anastasya,” he keeps going, ignoring my tone, “that you’ve let some lowlife mess with your brain and wreakabsolutehavoc in yourentirelife.”

For a second, I just blink at him, scrambling to find something to snap back and finding…nothing.

He takes a deep breath, gets a little closer and gently takes my wrist in his hand, “But you’ll also come to realize you’re much luckier than you ever even knew.”

“Really?” I drawl mockingly, still so pissed but starting to feel so much more confused as well.

“Yes, really,” he insists as he takes my hand in his. “Because I love you, cupcake. And I’m a forgiving man. Despite everything that’s happened — and there’s been a lot, mind you…” He pauses to give me an even softer look. “I’m still here, waiting for you to snap out of it and come back to me.”

Fuming, I break my hand free. For a second, I consider getting into it, but the very thought makes me feel a flood of fatigue.

And he just gives my upper arm a little squeeze, throws me another warm smile, turns on his heel and walks away.

For a second, I just keep standing there, watching him leave. Am I going fucking crazy? Itistrue that he witnessed me go ballistic on him for trying to help, right before he found the two of us like that, when we should’ve already been at the Game.

And that’s just today. I can’t let myself forget about my despicable behavior with Ricky the night before last. Feeling a scream coming on, I dart into the grove and I throw myself onto the stone bench.

But I don’t get even a moment of peace before my eyes dart to the opening and I seehimwalk in.

Dahrian.

A pissed off look on his face if ever I saw it.

Chapter 28 - Dahrian

AssoonasIwalk in, her eyes dart up to me and I feel myself start to unravel.

I inhale deeply, my hands balling into fists and my teeth gritting, and I start walking up to her.

This is your last chance, boy,my fox warns from the shadows.Just tell her how you feel and let’s be done with it, please.

“Oh, that’s exactly what I’m doing,” I say with this nasty little smile.

And I enjoy it, when I see her stiffen, fighting not to frown.

“Cupcake, huh?” I ask when I come to stand in front of her, my arms folding, my voice clear and flat despite this thrumming in my chest.

She gets up off the bench, now actually frowning. “You eavesdropped?”

I just look at her for a second. “You’re right,” I say, shrugging my shoulders and proceeding in a mocking voice. “I should’ve just waited for you to be done with Prince Charming, gotten him drunk, manipulated him into answering all my questions… Right?”

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