Page 67 of Terror at the Gates

We sat in silence for a moment before she spoke.

“So,” she said, drawing out the word. “Are you going to tell me why we have a new door?”

I hesitated, pausing my rhythmic caress of Cherub’s silky ears.

“Zahariev kicked it in,” I said. “I lost my key.”

Normally, I would tell Coco everything, but I didn’t think I was emotionally stable enough to recount what happened last night without spiraling. I’d save it for another day.

When Coco didn’t comment, I looked up and found herwatching me. I didn’t like the suspicion in her eyes.

“Do you ever wonder why Zahariev drops everything for you?”

“Coco—”

I didn’t want to go down this road. I knew what she was going to suggest.

“Zahariev,” she interrupted. “ZaharievfreakingZareth, the literal head of the most powerful family in Eden. The man probably has drugs to sell—”

“Zahariev doesn’t sell drugs,” I said.

“People to kill,” she continued.

I didn’t argue with that one.

“But you lose yourkey, and he’s here to break down doors for you?”

“It was one door,” I said, and it was more than a lost key, but I didn’t say that. “And yes, because he made a deal with my father to watch out for me.”

And Zahariev obliges because he likes leverage. I wasn’t about to get it twisted.

“I’ve seen the way he looks at you, Lilith,” said Coco.

“He looks at me because he’s watching, probably to see if I’m going to steal.”

Coco shook her head. “No, Lily. That man wants to fuck.”

I almost laughed. “Coco, Iknowwhen men want to fuck me. You know what radiates from Zahariev ninety-nine percent of the time?Annoyance.”

“Doesn’t mean that one percent isn’t aroused by you,” she countered. “Admit it. You’ve thought about fucking him.”

“Everyone’sthought about fucking him,” I said.

“But haveyou?”

“Of course I have!” I said, frustrated. My face flushed. I felt like I’d confessed some deep, dark secret, but really, Ijust didn’t like admitting that I lusted after Zahariev out loud. I took a breath and shook my head. “I mean,look at him. He’s fucking hot.You’veprobably thought about fucking him too.”

“He’s not really my type…you know, since he’s a man and all.”

I laughed at the way her nose wrinkled in mild disgust, easing a bit of the tension that had built up around this conversation.

Coco sighed. “I’m not trying to make you mad. I was only curious.”

“I’m not mad,” I said. “Trust me, I’ve tried to get a rise out of Zahariev. I like fucking with him. Heneverbites.”

I wasn’t sure what I would do if he ever did, honestly. We had known each other so long…would we remain friends, or would it tear us apart? Maybe I didn’t want to find out.

“He will one day,” she said. “When you want him to.”

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