Page 75 of Living Legend

“At least you figured out what you want,” she said, letting the words hit me like ice cold water. She narrowed her eyes before closing the door. This was way more than a lapse of judgment and even if it was, it was something I had to keep to myself.

Chapter Thirteen

DANI

Ileaned against the back of our door, letting my spine become parallel with the solid wood. It felt cool against my thin shirt, refreshing my overheated body. I tried to piece everything together in my head, from beginning to end. I tried to recollect every detail I could conjure, but it was all one big fucking blur. The only parts I remembered were the ones where Nicholas was moving over me, and I had fucking egged him on. I wanted him to keep going and I had fucking liked it.

This fact didn’t surprise me much; it more so solidified the fact that he was everything I already assumed he would be: demanding, frustrating, rough,hot. I had let him fuck mehardagainst that floor. I squeezed my eyes closed, not wanting the replay of what happened to make its appearance for the tenth time in my thoughts.

“Where the fuck have you been?”

It took me a minute to realize that it was close to early evening now. The sky was that orange-purple color that seemed to make everything feel calmer. Unfortunately, it wasn’t helping. I looked across the dimly lit room to where Elise was propped up against her headboard, eyebrows raised. I opened my mouth to answer, but anything I could think would come out made me close my mouth again. I could feel my cheeks start to heat again.

“Dani, have you gone mute? I asked you a fucking question.” This time, she swung her legs out from under her covers off the side of the bed. The drunk look in her eyes was gone, replaced by the Elise I had always known.

“I heard you,” I answered, annoyed. I wanted to sleep and hope that my dreams didn’t drag me back to the training room floor with a broad-shouldered angel balls deep inside of me.

“An answer would be fucking nice.” Elise gave me a condescending smile.

“I was having a conversation with Nicholas, that’s all.” Simple answer.

“A conversation?”

“Yes, you know, that thing that two people do when they want to talk about something?” I started to explain.

“I know what a conversation is, you bitch. I mean, what would he want to have a conversation with you about? Was the blonde one there or something?”

I shook my head nonchalantly, trying to look uncaring. I realized I was still leaning against the door, so I walked over to my bed, pulling my sheets down.

“So, you guys were alone? With no supervision?”

I glared at her, giving her my middle finger. “We aren’t children, Elise.”

“Why couldn’t you just talk in here? No need to whisk you away like a creep.” She shrugged her shoulders, but the intrigue never left her eyes. Elise seemed to intimidate everyone she met with her blunt confidence and killer instinct, but she was a notorious gossip.

I waved over to her side of the room. “You were asleep in your drunken little haze, so it’s no big deal. Can we please just leave it alone?”

She let out a sharp laugh. “No.”

I rolled my eyes, choosing to ignore her instead. The silent treatment wasn’t something that worked with Elise. We’ve never had to use those talents on each other, and I was mentally crossing my fingers she would assume it's not worth her time and shut up.

Luck was not on my side.

“What did he want to talk about?” she pressed on. At least this was something I could answer.

I pulled my hair around, facing her. “I’m torturing the demon in the Ethereal Bastille tomorrow morning.”

Her eyes narrowed, as if she was trying to understand the words. She tapped her black fingernails on her knees, letting the seconds tick by. Eventually, she spoke. “Why? I can’t say I’m surprised it’s come to this, but why now?”

I scratched my cheek, trying to remember what Nicholas told me. “I guess matters are worse than they thought. Another demon breached the portal and now it’s all hands-on deck. Get the demon to fix the demonic problem.” I fiddled with my hair, watching as the curl I pulled straightened out then popped back into its spiral. “Fun fact, the demon was already dead when they found it.”

Elise stood up abruptly, both hands on her hips. “What the hell? By them, you mean Jonah and his band of idiots?” She looked to me for confirmation, and I nodded. “Nicholas was sent to what? Charm you into torturing their prisoner?” Another look of confirmation.

This time, I didn’t nod. I just looked at her and let out a heavy breath, trying to maintain eye contact. She let out a slow breath of her own, and I watched her inhale before her face contorted into something usually directed at Reese, but never me.

“I can’t fucking believe you agreed so easily to do their bidding. I mean, I know I have bigger balls than all of you combined, but I at least thought you had a decent sized pair. I like to torture just as much as the next demon, but damn, put up a little fight. I literally would have gouged his eyes out for asking something like that and made him thank me for doing it.”

I bunched my fists at my sides, feeling my nails dig into my palms. “You think I just stood there and let him just tell me what to do?” The room was starting to darken as the sun set. Elise turned away from me, unaffected by my tone, and clicked on the lamp on her end table.

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