Page 5 of Hell Hath No Fury

After what feels like hours later, the lock on the lavatory clicks, and Agatha pops out into the aisle. This is one of my smaller planes, so the walk from the bathroom to the main seating area is short, but she still takes her sweet fucking time. She’s smirking, and I have the incredible urge to wipe that smirk off her face by blistering her ass for being a brat, another feeling that is entirely foreign to me because, most of the time, we get revenge by more permanent means. “What the fuck did you do, Agatha?”

She smiles brightly and shrugs. “You’re welcome.”

I extend my hand, and she places my phone in my palm, and I immediately open the messaging app to the group chat she started. I blink down at the screen, frown, then turn my gaze back to her as I say, “There’s nothing fucking here.”

Her smile gets even bigger, and she laughs. “Oh, there was.”

“Well, what the fuck did you say?”

“You’ll see.”

“You better fucking tell me or else I’ll—”

“You’ll fucking what?” Agatha interrupts. “You gonna put me over your knee and spank me?”

I make a face, pretending the thought hadn’t already occurred to me. “Don’t fucking tempt me.”

Once again, she waves her hand at me, then says, “I don’t mind a good spanking, Antonio, but you’re a little old for me.”

“What?” My jaw drops open in outrage at the implication I would ever think of her in that way. “It wouldn’t be that kind of spanking.”

“Oh, it’s always that kind of spanking.”

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I ask incredulously.

“So many things.”

Slowly coming to the realization that she’s fucking with me and likely will never stop fucking with me, I stare at her blankly, unsure of how to respond, which is also unusual for me. After a moment, she inclines her head in my direction and replies, “Listen, I’m getting the impression that I probably know more about your history with my mother than you do.”

I open my mouth to respond, but she lifts her hand, stopping me as she continues, “I don’t want to actually discuss it. I just want you to know that regardless of what you’ve been told or what you think you know, there’s always another side.”

I stare at her, pondering my response and then answering quietly, “I know what I did. No amount of discussion will ever change that.”

She raises her brows at me and lifts a shoulder. “I guess we’ll see then.”

She says nothing further and turns her attention back to her phone, which is still sitting on the table. She picks it up, looking down at the screen and then smiling broadly as she flashes it at me. “And at least I have the evidence of your secrets.”

I had forgotten that she was replying as me to her group chat. “Goddamn it,” I bite out. “Let me see that.”

She shakes her head, locking her phone and putting it in the inside pocket of her jacket before leaning back in her chair. “Someday, you’ll thank me, Antonio. Mark my words.”

I briefly consider attempting to overpower her and taking the phone, but I know at the end of the day, I’d just be making more trouble for myself.

Agatha and the entire crew are well known for their tendency to talk shit and crack jokes when things get stressful and chaotic, so I can’t say that these types of shenanigans are a surprise to me. But that doesn’t change the fact it’s a bit disconcerting, given our circumstances. Especially given the fact I so easily slid downtheir slippery slope into what I think can only be described as tom-fuckery.

Knowing full well that I’m completely out of my depth here, I force myself to sit back and shut my mouth, even as Agatha continues to sit across from me, smug as can be.

3

Antonio 1, Lilith 0

Antonio

Bythetimewemake it to Declan’s California estate, it’s full morning.

Having never been to Declan’s home, I’m slightly surprised to find an expansive yet homey setup. From most accounts, I would’ve presumed Declan is more of an extravagant, opulent type who always wants to make a big statement, as only the quintessential rock star can. Instead, I’m faced with a space that, while humongous, is also obviously comfortably lived in and well-loved. From the welcoming entryway to the ridiculous play structure in the backyard, I find myself blinking back surprise at every turn, just one more reminder that judging a book by its bad-boy cover doesn’t always give you their entire story.

Everyone is gathered in Declan’s dining room in the middle of a heated debate that quickly falls silent when we enter the room.

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