Page 188 of Like Grim Death: Part One
I wait seconds, maybe a minute. I hope Maverick changes his mind. But all he does is stare at me.
The urge to run, to hide, it overwhelms me.
I turn away, looking down at the ground as I dart through the gym door, the cold air a relief against my sweaty body. And when Atlas appears beside me, slinging his arm around my shoulder as we weave our way through Liber, I don’t shrug him off.
And when he offers me a pill, I don’t hesitate to take it.
* * *
It doesn’t take long to find Lucifer, even though we aren’t truly looking for him. Atlas and I trail up the stairs in silence, all the way to the third floor, away from the music and drinking and the bullshit, and when we take two steps down the darkened hall, Lucifer Malikov appears from the darkness like a ghost, his phone in hand, the screen lighting up his pale face.
Sensing us, he lowers his phone.
Beside me, I feel Atlas stiffen, like tension snapping into his body. I narrow my eyes, ready to blurt out what the fuck is happening with Mavy and Sid at the pool, but before I can open my mouth, Lucifer speaks, his raspy voice overriding my thoughts.
“This is cute.”
My heart thumps hard in my chest, but anger is still coursing through me and the drug in my system lends me bravery. Or maybe it’s all in my head, but either way, I can’t stop my next words. “You’re such an asshole.”
Lucifer smiles at me, but it isn’t a nice thing. “And you still haven’t learned your place, have you?” I don’t know exactly what he’s talking about, but I can guess.
I clench my hands into fists. I want to say a few things aboutRain,about what I found with Sid, but some misplaced sense of girl code keeps me quiet.
“Don’t be fooled by last night, Ella. Maverick has always been a murderer. What he did for you was nothing special. And he willalwaysput his nephew first. So you might as well get used to second place.” His words drive through my heart.
I grind my teeth together, but tears sting the back of my eyes.You are loathsome.And with everything that happened today, I can’t stay quiet this time. “Do you think you’d still be in first if I told him about us? About what you’re making me do?” It feels good, the confession, bursting it out, especially in front of Atlas, who says nothing.
But Lucifer doesn’t look at all mad or surprised. Instead he smiles and says, “He’d be on his kneesthankingme for it.” There’s a purr in his words. Before I can snarl back at him, he shifts his gaze. “What happened to Samson, Atlas?” He steps closer, pocketing his phone. Dressed all in black, his demon blue eyes seem to glow in the dark. The skeleton bandana around his throat is so familiar to me, I almost skip right over it when I take him in.
I listen now, trying not to imagine Mavy and Sid, because this somehow seems more serious. Atlas wouldn’t talk to me about this, and I want to know things. Maybe now Iwon’ttell Sid, but it doesn’t mean I don’t want to solve the mystery.
“I didn’t think you had it in you,” Lucifer continues, his voice a low purr. “But you had help, didn’t you? Tell me who was there.”
Atlas doesn’t move. His hands are by his side, grazing his hips.
Lucifer’s sayingAtlaskilled Samson? I immediately dismiss it. That makes zero sense, just like the past twenty-four hours.
Suddenly, Lucifer’s eyes cut to me. I feel pinned by his gaze, the intensity in it. He looks bloodthirsty. “Why are you,” he tilts his head, looking toward Atlas for a second, “withhim?”
There’s silence between the three of us. I don’t know what to say.I hate you.It’s in my brain, but the words don’t come out.
He steps closer. I catch the scent of pine. Cigarettes. I remember how he tasted, in my mouth. I remember how he tried to hurt me, be too rough with me, but Mav wouldn’t let him.
Slowly, he leans down to crowd my space, hands on his thighs. “You’re not very smart are you?” His lip curls with a snarl as he looks me up and down, and I want to shrink in on myself.You are ruining me,I want to scream.You are ruining my life.“You should only follow orders from those with enough power to give them.”
My heart is beating too fast in my chest. I can’t even open my mouth. I don’t know what he’s talking about, but I know he won’t explain his cryptic, cult speech.
Slowly, he rises back to his full height, sweeping his gaze over both me and Atlas.
“Have fun tonight,” he says, smirking. “But if you’re not careful, Ella, you’re going to end up buried too.”
“Watch your son,” I blurt out, unable to stop myself. Unwilling to let him have the last word. And maybe I do care more than I let on, because I think it would hurt me too, if something happened to Rain, if only because I know it would destroy Maverick.
Lucifer’s eyes flash, danger in them, but I don’t stop talking. “Pay attention to him, because he isn’t safe.”
Atlas shifts on his feet beside me.
Lucifer smiles coldly. “I know exactly where my son is. Just howsafehe is. Don’t try to play mind games with me, Ella. I’ve been doing it for far longer than you.”
