Page 37 of Volatile Obsessions

? Tag, you’re it - Melanie Martinez ?

“Ijust don’t understand why he’s suddenly stagnant,” I snapped at Suki, as I stomped around my bedroom in an anxiety-induced cleaning spree.

It’d been almost two weeks since I barreled into Noir Coast, and I’d not heard a single peep from Roman.

Let’s just say, my nerves were officially at an all-time high.

“I mean, you did threaten him to get the hell out of Miami, did you not?” she pointed out from her place on my bed, as she went about perfectly polishing her toes in a villainous purple.

“Yes, but after all I’ve told you about him, do you really think he’d just heed my warning and bolt?”

“If he’s intelligent, yes.”

I stilled in my half bent over state and glared at her. “You’re not helping, Suk.”

“What do you want me to say then?” She sighed, meeting my stare with dubious eyes. “That he’s coming for you?”

“No,” I grumbled, snatching my pajamas off the floor.

“Then what?”

“I don’t know!” I blurted out, fidgeting under her scrutiny. “I don’t fucking know, okay?! It’s like, I want him to disappear, but at the same time—”

The smirk that curled Suki’s lips shut me up real quick. And I mean, real quick. I couldn’t believe I was about to admit that I wanted to play his stupid little game.

How insane would that have sounded?

Evidently, not that much considering my best friend was looking at me like she already knew what I wanted to say.

WasI insane, though, for even entertaining it? Hell, I felt like I was, and I loathed Roman that much more for making me feel this way.

“But at the same time you what?” she pressed, leaning toward me expectantly.

I shook my head and held my hands up in surrender. There was no way in hell I could tell her. I loved Suki with my whole life, but she’d never let me live this down.

“Nothing, forget it. Let’s just hope his silence does, in fact, mean he’s gone and done one,” I answered instead.

Suki hesitated only a couple of seconds before piping up again. “I see what’s going on here,” she chuckled, screwing the polish bottle shut.

“Yeah? And what is that?” I crossed my arms.

“You want him, Lux.”

My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. “What?!” I screeched incredulously, heart suddenly racing into overdrive. “Are you daft?”

Suki choked out a laugh, thinning her lips and all. “No, I’m not, thank you, but you are, apparently.”

Is she serious right now?

“I do not want him,” I muttered indignantly, storming into the safety of my closet.

With shaky hands, I slammed my clothes into the hamper and huffed out a breath, trying to block out her cackling in the background.

She was way beyond daft. Totally fucking delusional. How could she even think that—

“Don’t hide from me, Lux,” she called out, shooting my shoulders up to my ears. “You’re only making it more obvious.”

Rolling my eyes, I walked back out in the bedroom with my head held high, trying to appear as blasé about the entire situation as possible.

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