Page 86 of House of Lilith

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It doesn’t work, my trying to distract myself by talking to the O’Malley brothers. I can seem to only think aboutonething. So while the party is still raging, I finish my drink and I excuse myself, saying it’s been a long day and I really need some rest.

I walk out of the Main Hall and into the Entrance Hall, where there are only a dozen or so drunk students scattered around, talking and laughing in low, tired voices.

Feeling worse than I’ve felt in a long time, I start moving for the Elevator, wondering if I’ll be able to sleep a wink tonight.

But before I can even make it halfway, I spot her coming from the direction of one of the inner courtyards. She has her eyes fixed on the floor and an absent, angry look on her face as she keeps marching back into the Main Hall, that is, straight towards me.

It makes me stop midstep. My mind scrambles to make a decision — slink back into the party or try to dart into the Elevator without her noticing me.

I start moving for the Elevator, but it’s at that exact moment that she looks up and our eyes meet.

Fuck. What do I do?

I don’t stop walking. I tip my head in a greeting and stay on my trajectory, hoping this will be it for tonight.

But the next thing I know, she’s materializing right in front of me, making me stop midstep, all my muscles tensing up.

“What?” she asks with her eyebrows raised. Her voice is strangely flat, especially considering how raw she looks. “Don’t tell me Grimm Academy doesn’t know how to throw parties.”

I fail to stop myself from giving her a smile, however joyless. Sliding my hands into my pockets, I glance around the Hall. “Or maybe all this splendor’s making me feel like a fish out of water.”

For a second, she just keeps staring at me with this funny look in her narrowing eyes.

Then she tilts her head so she’s looking up at me from an angle that makes my heart beat faster. “I’d hate to think we’re being bad hosts,” she says, dropping her voice a little.

It all makes me frown, my eyes darting to her hand.

No ring on her finger. Did she just break up with him?

No, don’t go there, I urge myself.

She raises her eyebrows at me.

I clear my throat. “Don’t worry about it,” I finally say, “you’re all being extremely hospitable. But itisgetting late. Good night, Romanov,” I add with another joyless smile and I turn to walk away.

I sense her follow me. I don’t stop walking, I just shoot her a confused look over my shoulder.

Just as I reach the Elevator, she comes to block my way, making my eyebrows pull down.

It’s with narrowed eyes and in a low but flat voice that she asks, “How does it work? With you and the women you sleep with?”

For a second, I stay speechless, thinking I must’ve heard her wrong. Then, when she just keeps looking at me and I realize I haven’t…

The directness makes me blow a laugh through my nose. “How does it work…” I shake my head in confusion, but then I throw her a smirk, deciding to play dumb to get out of having to answer the question. “Do you really need me to explain how things work between a man and a woman, Romanov?” I ask as I push the button to call for the Elevator.

“Oh fuck off. You know I’m talking about your casual arrangements or whatever you’d call them.”

Run the fuck away, I urge myself. And it’s at that exact moment that the Elevator arrives and the door opens with the now familiar soft ping.

“Sure,” I say as I move to get inside, my heart sinking, “and I’ll tell you all about them… some other time.”

“Why not now?” she asks as she darts into the Elevator and turns to face me, her eyes challenging me.

For a second, I hesitate. Then the Elevator starts closing and I find myself jumping in.

But I immediately turn to face the door so I’m not looking at her when I ask, forcing a flat voice, “Aren’t you tired?” I watch the Elevator close and I push the button for the surface level, my mind buzzing and my eyebrows pulling down.

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