Page 103 of Oh No! There's an Incubus in my Hot Spring
“Sylvia,” Apollo says, breaking through my delirious hate-planning.
I stop pacing and close my eyes as I pant like a bull.
Why won’t he just leave me alone?
Furious tears bathe my lashes, and I growl, trying to keep the beast in her cage.
Why won’t he just let me live?
“Hon, it’s gonna be okay,” Irene says, approaching me with another glass of wine. “We’ll send your statement to Channel Nine and they’ll have to amend the piece.”
But the damage is done. Everyone heard it.
Workaholic.
Running away.
She grabs my arm comfortingly and passes me the wine. “We can fix this.”
I clench my teeth against the scathing comment I want to hurl. Spewing hate at my friend isnotgoing to solve the situation.
“I’m really upset right now,” I say, trying to work through what’s going on.
She nods. “Rightfully so.”
Apollo reaches out for me and I take his hand. “We’re not scared of your anger. You can let it out.”
“I want toruin his fucking life!” I scream. “He’s trying to ruin mine and I want to bury him in his lies.”
Irene nods again. “So let’s do that. Send in your statement. Send in evidence. Get the piece amended.”
I sigh. “We don’t have time for this. There’s a business to run and only us three to do it.”
My phone buzzes in my pocket and I cringe. It’s my mother. I can feel it in my wine-warmed gut.
I pull it out and…yep.
“I can’t,” I murmur, setting my phone on the table.
Apollo picks it up and takes the call. “Hello, Mrs. Azarolla.”
I hear a shrill “Who is this?” from the speaker.
He cringes and pulls the phone away from his ear. “I’m Apollo.”
“Sylvia’s friend?”
“Sylvia’s boyfriend,” he corrects, and I grin. Before she can launch into any questions, he takes control. “I wanted to thank you so much for calling to congratulate your lovely daughter on the opening of her business, but she’s absolutely exhausted and fell asleep already. I didn’t want you to think she was avoiding you.”
Oh.
My.
God.
I can’t tell what my mom is saying, but Apollo smiles and nods a few times, and then says, “Yes, I’ll make sure she calls you in the morning. Good night.” And then hangs up.
I stare at him, mouth agape. “You lied to my mother.”
