Page 19 of Phantom
Rand turns on a hungry smile that makes my fist tighten. “Let me walk you up.”
Her bright-moonlight eyes flick to mine. “No, um, that’s okay. It’s just upstairs.”
Rand opens his mouth but Jaime interjects. “I’ve got her. Go on home, man. I’ll protect her from the big bad Phantom of the French Quarter.” He smiles, studiously ignoring me.
She beams up at her best friend like a sister to a brother, and not for the first time I’m thankful that Jaime took his assignment as seriously as he did. Since they were already cordial, it was easy enough for him to befriend her when she was at her lowest. His daily updates have become unnecessary thanks to the fact she’s moved to her dorm, but he’s stuck around because now he’s her true friend. It calms me to know that in those few moments when I’m not around, she’s still safe.
Rand sputters for an objection, but she squeezes his forearm and wishes him a good night before leaving.
I watch her unabashedly as she navigates the crowd. Just when I think she doesn’t feel it, this gravitational pull like the moon to the night, she glances back. Her silver eyes flare and her gorgeous pink lips part. My cock jumps to push inside them, but I slowly settle farther into my seat. She breaks eye contact first as Jaime irritatingly guides her away from me and around the corner to the exit.
I glare back at Rand. He’s still staring where Scarlett disappeared, and the frustration reddening his face pleases me. He’s now seen the undeniable chemistry I have with his alleged childhoodsweetheart. Even though Scarlett doesn’t realize my connection with her yet, and even though I’ll never act on these emotions, fuck does it feel good forsomeoneto know Scarlett Day is mine.
When he finally drags his eyes away from the empty space and back to me, he’s failed to conceal his anger and I can’t resist toying with the prick.
“Leave, Rand. Your invitation has apparently been withdrawn. Don’t come around again until our next meeting. Our business is done. Your request for access to the port and a hotel in the French Quarter is denied.”
Rand’s lips morph into a tight line before he finally speaks. “This isn’t over, Bordeaux. Iwillget what I want.”
“You can try,” I answer with a bored sigh. “But just like your brother, you will fucking fail. A little advice? Make sure your failure isn’t at the same cost.” I cross my ankles under the table and my arms over my chest. “Or don’t. I don’t give a shit. I’ve always got more rope handy. Just ask your second-in-command—oh…wait. You can’t.”
Rand’s eyes burn with fury before he stalks away in silence. Satisfaction courses through me, a sensation not too different from the buzz I get when I indulge in my Sazeracs.
“First Baron, then Monty, now Rand?” Ben’s words carry an edge. “If you keep fucking up and threatening these Chatelain men, you’re going to get burned, brother. Again.”
I smirk before taking a sip of my drink. “I’ll have fun while it lasts, though.”
I couldn’t give a fuck about me. I haven’t cared about my fate since I was fifteen and learned my entire life could be taken away from me in an instant. That realization was shortly followed with the revelation that the same fatal truth applied to those who harmed me and the ones I loved. My enemies and I have been living on borrowed time ever since.
But now that a certain soprano has appeared on my stage, all of my time has belonged to her. Nothing else matters.
Speaking of which…
“I have to go.” I stand from my chair, ignoring the fact that Ben has apparently been talking to me this entire time. Right now, my one-track mind doesn’t allow for anything other than thoughts of white roses and moonlight.
Ben doesn’t try to prevent me from going. He hasn’t for months now. At this point, neither of us could stop me even if we tried.
My little muse is my addiction, and her voice is my drug. If there is a cure to my madness, I don’t want it. I’d rather welcome blissful oblivion.
Scene 5
THROUGH THE MIRROR
Scarlett
As soon as Jaime drops me off at my dorm, I close my door and sag against it. Thank God he volunteered to escort me to my room so I didn’t have to go with Rand. I’m ready to collapse on my bed to finally relax, and I don’t know if it’s because I crushed on him for so long, but his presence puts me on edge.
And the way Sol stared at me? Like he wanted toconsumeme? Yeah, that sure as hell didn’t help. When he asked about my rose, my heart leaped into my throat. His voice caressed me more lovingly than any hand ever has, and I’d nearly become breathless myself. A flutter in my core drags out a small moan from my chest at the memory, but a thump somewhere in the walls snaps me out of it.
You’d think I’d be able to tune out all the things that go bump in the night in this building. With thousands of students, faculty, and staff milling around, Bordeaux Conservatory is never silent, no matter how good the soundproofing is.
I push away from the door and unpin my rose before laying it gently on my makeup counter. Once I peel myself out of my heavy Juliet dress, I take a deep soothing breath and go about my nightly routine, thoughts of tonight racing through my head. Before I head to the bathroom, my eyes drift to the rose again and catch on the sight of the envelope from my demon of music.
Monty received the same type of letter that my demon sends me, down to the wax skull seal on the back. Although the seal on mine is a seductive red rather than an ominous black, could the envelopes be from the same person?
Mine are also signed off with “Ton démon de la musique,”but Monty’s was signed “Phantom.” Is my secret admirer a demon of music? A phantom? Or both?
Does it matter?
