Page 5 of Dance of Devils
My breath catches and pain radiates through my arm as he grabs my elbow tightly and squeezes.
“I fuckingtold you,” he growls. “Look, I understand you don’t want to date me anymore. I know I get carried away sometimes.”
The only reason I don’t laugh is because I’m terrified.
“I agreed to no more dating. But I never agreed to stopcompletely.” He leers into my face, his teeth flashing. “You know how it is, B. I start thinking about you…”
I turn to stone as his fingers trail up my arm.
“Start thinking aboutus…”
Nausea coils in my stomach as he slides a finger over the side of my breast through my hoodie, slipping his hand to my waist and squeezing.
Please go away. Please leave me alone.
“So when I tell you to come over, baby--”
“Brooklyn!”
I whirl away from James and yank myself out of his grip so quickly that I surprise even myself.
Behind me, down the street toward the entrance to the alley behind the Mercury where we all hang out before rehearsal, I see Val walking toward me.
“That better be the fucking gay one,” James seethes.
Now feels like the wrong time to remind him that Val is in factbi.
There’s also the small detail that James and I arenota couple, and who I spend time with, men or women, is none of his fucking business.
But that would be an even worse thing to say right now.
“I…I have to go,” I blurt. “Rehearsal starts soon?—”
“Fine,” he growls. His eyes narrow onto mine. “But next time I fucking call you,you pick up, yeah?”
I gulp, not able to meet his gaze.
“Brooklyn!” he snaps. “Did you hear me?”
“Yeah,” I say quietly. “I heard you.”
“Good,” he mutters. “You know how I fucking hate waiting when my dick gets hard for you, baby.”
I turn to ice as he grabs my elbow again.
“Don’t make me wait again, B,” he hisses. “Or I’ll come find you.” He grins lecherously. “Shit, maybe that would make you come even harder.”
I’ve never once come with James.
Alsonot something to mention right now.
By the time Val gets to where I’m still frozen on the sidewalk, James has disappeared around the corner.
“Who the fuck was that?” my friend frowns.
I somehow manage to force a smile to my face.
“Oh, you know,” I snort, rolling my eyes for effect. “Just some guy.”
