Page 147 of Ecstasy

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“This is the real thing, Za.”

“No.” I look into his eyes. But I don’t see anything there. Nothing but mania. Insanity. Cruelty. “Eli. Look at me!”

“Careful, these veins are so delicate, baby girl.”

I try to yank my hand again, but I feel it.

A pinch.

His smile widens as he plunges the needle in.

My mouth falls open, fear seizing me.

Fear. And something else.

My feet feel heavy beneath me. I hear the needle drop.

My breathing slows.

There’s a warm blanket covering my body and Eli doesn’t seem so bad. The glass in my feet, my back, none of that is so bad.

This is euphoria. This is...

I fall forward and Eli catches me. “That’s it, baby girl.”

Warmth spreads through my chest. My limbs. My toes. My face.

“That’s it.” He rubs my back, holding me close. “Does it feel good, baby?”

Good? This is more than good. This is...this is ecstasy.

“Does it feel good now?”

46

Eli

She’s so beautiful.In the passenger seat of the 370Z, her mouth open as she leans against the door, snoring softly. She’s so damn beautiful.

The sun is coming up now and after holding her on the couch in her living room all night, I can saythatwas the best part of this entire fucking year.

Cleaning up the glass on the floor of her apartment, picking it out of the bottom of her feet and that sliver in her back that went through her shirt…not so great. Despite what she probably thinks, I didn’t really want to hurt her.

I’ve never wanted that.

When I first laid eyes on her when Alex brought her to our house, I knew I’d do anything to get her. To keep her. To have her. She was exactly what I wanted, and unlike every other girl who tried to own me, who tried to get me to own them, she was content to do whatever the fuck she wanted to do.

And what she wanted was what I wanted too.

But she just didn’t know it. She didn’t know Alex wasn’t the one for her.

And then Rihanna failed in getting Zara to dump him, and then she was on me. Rihanna wanted me, but I didn’t fucking want her.

She was a means to an end.

But I dealt with Rihanna.

And I’ll deal with Alex too.

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