Page 41 of The Kiss Of Death
I let out a laugh. “You punched a table? And it’s my fault?”
“It was either the table or someone’s face,” he said dryly. “While I’m all for breaking bones and indulging in some good old blackmail, it wasn’t my best thinking.”
That didn’t make any sense. What was he talking about? When his eyes dropped to mine, I found the need to switch subjects.
“I found Lucie’s music score and—”
“And what? You want to stealthatfrom me too?”
“No,” I defended myself, taking a step back. “It’s not like that.”
“Not that it’d matter, but hergiftis unplayable,” he said. “It’s a waste of time.”
“It’s a puzzle,” I insisted, unable to maintain a calm, detached tone in my voice. “If it’s not playable, it’s because we have to put the pieces back in order.”
“There’s no we, little doll. And you think I didn’t know that?” His lips turned into a thin, hard line. “I already divided each measure and ran them into a computer algorithm, but it didn’t work.”
“That’s because you think like you and not like Lucie. There must be a code or something. I think the answer lies in the sketch. Did you know your mother had synesthesia?”
“That’s right, you know my own mother better than I did,” he deadpanned. “You lacked one, so you feel the constant need to act like the perfect daughter, wishing others’ mothers would adopt you like a needless puppy seeking affection.”
I swallowed. I would not let his vile words get to me. Helping him solve Lucie’s music score was my chance. My redemption to keep a part of Lucie alive. I couldn’t return the Cigno Nero to Levi, but I’d give him the key to his mother’s score.
“I know you’re hurting me on purpose so I’ll give up. Lucie wasn’t my mother, but I knew her music better than anyone. If you let me—”
“Stop,” he asserted, a nerve working in his jaw. “This is just a bunch of crap, another of her twisted games to mess with me from her grave.”
I didn’t believe this. We both knew his mother had left him this music score for a reason. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have bothered to try to find a solution. But I’d learned by now that Levi was individualistic and wanted to accomplish everything by himself because needing anyone was a weakness to him.
“Why?” I said, not willing to give up on him. “Why keep the music score then, if you don’t want to know the truth?”
He let out a small laugh. “I already know the truth. I just want confirmation.”
“A confirmation for what?”
“It’s a family matter, and you’re not family.”
It sent a pang in my heart.“I-I’m sorry, you’re right.”
I was just her student.I gathered my belongings and headed toward the door.
“I’m sorry if I crossed a line. It’s not what you want to hear, but yes, Lucie was like a second mother to me, and she alwayswill be. It’s how I feel. I can’t help it, but I know she loved you.” Something in his face twitched as if he didn’t believe me. “You’re right about what you said about me; I desperately want to redeem myself. I know I don’t have your mother’s talent, but I won’t give up, Levi. So hate me however you want; I’ll continue to fight back until you finally give me the chance to help you.”
“Mr. Delgado hated almost everyone’s project. The only people he passed were Gunther and Maria, but he told me, ‘at least you traded mediocrity for pungent boringness, so I guess there’s an improvement,’” I mimicked my teacher’s perched voice and disdainful eyes, seated in the bustling chappel amid the clatter of trays and the aroma of gastronomical dishes prepared by the future culinary masters.
“Teachers can be the biggest bullies, but mine love me—probably because they always see me buried in books at the library,” Yas chimed in.
If only they knew that behind those cute book covers, she was reading fairy porn, occasionally disguising them as classics. It was pretty ingenious.
She smiled at her phone, and I couldn’t help but ask, “Is it a boy?”
“No, just a meme. Many have tried to date me and failed. The last guy I dated received an alert on his phone when I weighed myself on the scale at his house. Worse than that? I had gained two pounds, and his app told him I should go for a run. It was humiliating,” Yasmine said.
“I hope you egged his car.”
“Worse—I sent him to my sister.”
I smiled. Tara was terrifying, and the bruises I had on my shoulder from our fencing club was the reminder of that. Sylas, on the other hand, insisted that I wasn’t that bad, just not asvicious as the other students—probably referring to Levi, who didn’t even bother showing up to class this week.
