Page 201 of Vile Boys

My face glows red, but I still can’t help but step sideways to watch Ares approach like a demon in all black, his gray eyes forcing me to keep my gaze locked on his.

“I wanted this,” I say.

“Let us do the talking, darling,” Blaine insists, blocking my view too.

Goddammit. Now they choose to protect me from him?

They fold their arms and stare down Ares, so I peek through the gap between Blaine’s arm and his well-trained body.

“You’re still injured and healing. Shouldn’t you lie down?” Caleb asks him.

“I’m fine,” Ares says, straightening his back.

Why does it sound like a lie?

“She’s had enough of your obsession,” Blaine says.

“Really now?” Ares mocks. “I beg to differ.”

My eyes are transfixed on his, and they find mine through their bodies with ease.

“I know you’re hungry for more …” Ares murmurs, stopping right in front of them. “No wonder you went to them instead.”

“You traumatized her,” Blaine says.

Ares tilts his head. “She pulled the trigger out of her own free will. Didn’t you, Crystal?”

They all look at me now.

“Didn’t it feel good to watch the blood drain from his face?” he asks me directly.

I can’t help but nod.

It’s true. Even if I wanted to deny it, it felt so fucking good to destroy the man who let my father walk straight into his death.

A wicked smile forms on Ares’s face. “See?”

“Do you want her to become like me?” Caleb asks, his voice cracking under the weight of his emotions.

Ares grips his face. “I would never want either of you to die. I need you to stay with me.”

“I can’t lose her too,” Caleb says, breaking my heart. “Even if you want me to stay away from her, I can’t. I fucking can’t. But we’re ruining her.”

Ares pulls him against his chest, easily dragging him into his embrace despite getting his own clothes wet too now. “I know.”

“I won’t deny that you two have a claim on her,” Blaine says, swallowing. “But I would die for a girl like her.”

“You’d die for me?” I mutter, looking up at him.

No one’s ever said that to me.

He immediately grabs my hand and kisses the top just like he always does. “You’re my goddess. It would be a fucking honor.”

“A goddess?” Ares repeats with great interest. “Yet you were kissinghim.” He looks down upon Caleb with jealousy lacing his eyes. “The one you loathe so much.”

Blaine gulps. “I got carried away.”

“It didn’t mean anyth—”

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