Page 46 of As Devils Love

I find myself lacking interest in all that now, even as she leans forward and squeezes her tis together, exposing as much cleavage as she can muster through the open top button of her shirt. It’s Fiametta’s doing, no doubt. She has zapped my will to pretend I’m at one with normal society. She has seen me for what I truly am and hasn’t chased me away.

Christ, I’ve told her Ihaveto kill her, yet she still embraces me with open arms. I can read between the lines of her smiles while she’s going about her meaningless day-to-day tasks. I see how her world seems to shine brighter now that she knows who I am.

It’s a pity. I believe we could have had something wonderful together, if fate had played out differently.

The blonde clears her throat uncomfortably but makes no effort to cover herself up. “A man like you doesn’t strike me as the reading type. Especially not romance fiction from yesteryear.”

“What do I strike you as?” I refuse to blink, forcing her into deeper discomfort with every passing second.

“It sounds almost silly, now.” She shakes her head and breaks eye contact, averting her gaze to look at the book on the counter.

“No. I want you to tell me.” Pushing someone to their breaking point, especially with this level of discomfort, used to be one of the many things I avoided. Blending in was my top priority. Fooling the masses into believing I deserved to walk among them.

There’s no need now. And the thrill of watching the blonde squirm tickles my brain back into silence. Hiding the monster, I truly am, seems foolish, when the only person who matters doesn’t shy away from it? Maybe my inner voice is right. I’m falling off the deep end with no life raft in sight.

“With a body and looks like yours... uhm... I pictured you more of a taker than learner.”

“A taker?” I shove my hand into my pocket and pull out six stacks of hundred-dollar bills. “You mean a thief?”

“Of smiles.” Her gaze returns to me, this time with a sheepish smile to drive her point across. Shit. Am I sending the wrong message? “Of hearts. But most importantly, of bodies.”

She’s right about the last one. Though, wouldn’t say I took my victims’ bodies. That’s creepy.

I’m more of a collector of souls.

“Just ring up the book, I’ve got places to be.”

Her face sinks at my demand and she scans the book. I drop the stacks of dollar bills, onto her desk and grab the hard cover first edition of Pride and Prejudice off the counter.

How any piece of literature can be this expensive is so far beyond me, I almost regret my decision. But thealmostfades to warm satisfaction as soon as I escape the stuffy bookstore.

This feeling terrifies me.

I’m getting used to hot blood coursing through my cold heart.

And it’s all my Little Flame’s fault.

Chapter Nineteen

FIAMETTA

“Iknow it’s been hard on you, Fiametta,” Tomas says, as we step through the door into my apartment. “Having to live with me. What you must be going through with this killer on the loose. I just want to let you know that I’m going to try harder from now on.”

Whatever happened to make him change his tune must have been serious. He hasn’t shown any signs of being the wicked man I know him to be since we left Joe’s kitchen. And although I still have my doubts about his sincerity, after the multitude of things he’s done to show me what a piece of shit he is, seeing his softer side helps fight off my darker thoughts about Crue.

“Thank you, Tomas.” I mean it sincerely. Playing pretend or otherwise, having the man living inside my home on my side should make things easier.

We walk into the living room together, which is another huge surprise. Tomas usually makes a beeline for the kitchen at the end of the day, and starts hammering back his whiskey.

“How about you come in for a hug?” He opens his arms while gesturing with his fingertips that I bring it in. “Let’s start this new way of living right.”

“What? No.” I shake my head, but a smile still creeps onto my face. “I appreciate what you’re doing, Tomas, but I don’t think hugging it out is the right thing to do.”

You did try to rape me, after all.

As I decline, the forced smile on Tomas’s face sinks into a sneer. His arms flop to his side with so much force that they clap as they strike his legs.

“Why not?” he asks as though it’s perfectly acceptable to expect a hug after the vile way he’s treated me.

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