Page 18 of Voracious

“It used to make me feel better when I’d get confused.” Turning back into the asshole she is, she shrugs and starts going through my shit. “But I was four so who knows.”

She keeps fucking with my head and saying heartbreaking shit with no emotion. She doesn’t even act traumatized or impacted by any of it, there’s a heavy tone of acceptance with every part of her life. As though it was all predetermined and it was never meant to be anything but what it is.

Choosing not to hug a pillow like a heartbroken teenager hiding away in my room, I stand up and guide the hellion with me before she can break anything. She doesn’t argue and she hasn’t put her boots back on. Her jeans are tucked into her socks, and she shuffles her feet when we reach the kitchen so she’s gliding along the tile. Her lips move as she begins talking to herself and there’s still no argument as I sit her at the island.

I look at the fridge, waiting for something to magically appear. The thought of cooking is too heavy a task, I fucking hated doing that shit for Katya when we moved out from the Vartanovs. Their fridge was magic and would be filled with preprepared meals every day. Even now it’s the same and I decide against going there to ransack their food.

Takeout will do, it’s good enough and I won’t have to spend more time around the hellion who is still talking to herself. Ican’t hear the words, just the soft meeting of her lips. It stops abruptly when I turn and drop the takeout menus in front of a confused Ana and wait for her to pick something. She’s annoying as fuck and slides them back to me.

“You haven’t eaten since you left the hospital,” I say and move them in front of her.

It should be explanation enough, but she gets more confused and slowly picks each one up. I’m sure she can read. I’ve messaged her instructions, and she’s followed them. Fuck, obviously brothel training doesn’t include reading and writing.

Standing behind her, I try to soften my voice and read it out over her shoulder. She pauses, then slams the menu down and slowly turns her head to look at me. Narrowing her bruised eyes at me, she drops her voice in threat as she asks, “Do you think I’m illiterate?”

How the fuck am I supposed to know what pimps teach children they’re grooming? It makes sense they wouldn’t want them to read signs and shit.The hellion gets a stick up her ass and lists things to disprove what I haven’t voiced.

“I can read four languages, speak five. Play the piano, violin, and harmonica. The clients would teach me things. Just because I didn’t go to a fancy school like you doesn’t mean I don’t fucking know things.”

I’m not focused on anything other than the clients taught her things. Fucking clients, like she was working on business proposals not people negotiating fucking kids.

The hidden parts of Ana are all childish, she has a dorky laugh and snorts, replaying a memory.

“One time I stole chill powder and disinfectant then put it in the guard’s lube, his face was funny as fuck when he started jacking off and I nearly slipped from trying not to laugh.”

Ending on a sigh, she shakes her head and focuses back on the menus. I want her to laugh again, even if it’s at something brutal and try to force more.

“Why did you slip?”

I instantly regret it and there’s no reaction or snort again but her lips twitch.

“They were allowed to watch me shower and that one always used to stand there with his dick out while telling me everything he was going to do. Who doesn’t see red powder in clear liquid? Fucking idiot, I was more intelligent than him and I was only six that day.”

I take a step back and create an extra barrier by stuffing my hands in my pockets to stop them reaching for her. Flipping the Chinese takeout menu over, she sets the others down in a neat pile and holds it over her shoulder.

“I’ve never had it before, you can pick whatever’s good.”

There has never been more importance in placing an order than right now. She should have some normal experiences, so I order one of everything so she can find her favorite meal. Katya has her comforts since Tali forced her to choose a comfort meal when they were teenagers.

I don’t leave Ana’s space while we wait, and I have a sinking suspicion that the hellion is going to take over more than my house. The more I’m around her when she’s not covered in blood, the more I understand why Inessa, Katya, and Stasya have taken her under their protection.

I want to ask if the fucker who was watching a child shower is dead but she’s a psycho, one of the original demons to be let loose on the planet, so I know he is. Threats feel more natural and force her to stay here with me, so I allow that to leave rather than a demand to know her.

“If you try running away again, I’ll tell Tali and Inessa.”

They’re both the most protective over her and they’ll lock her ass up to make sure she’s safe. Stasya doesn’t care about anyone enough to go beyond the offer of giving up her guest room and Katya isn’t forceful by nature with anyone other than me because she’s spoilt rotten and gets away with everything. The other two are stubborn and loyal, the worst combination for the hellion to go up against.

A loud thump wakes me,and i sit up on alert. It comes again, jolting my door, followed by Ana’s hysterical shouting, “Dima, wake up.”

I jump up because the psycho should be knocked out after eating two times her body weight in noodles. There’s nothing other than her special mix of erratic, psychotic anger and excitement stood opposite me as soon as I open the door.She holds her hand out, clapping her fingers against her palm with her words rushing together.

“Keys, found Nina.”

We’ve done this shit before, went to a warehouse that’s empty and stale showing no one has been in it. It’s been over a year of chasing a ghost ever since she popped up. Every time she’ll rage, then go on a little killing spree as soon as the fights are arranged.

Knowing the hellion will crawl over broken glass if I don’t give in, I hold my hand up to stop her talking and sleep deepens my voice.

“Five minutes.”

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