Page 20 of Make Me Lie (Rich Demons of Darkwood 1)

“This is a bad idea,” she said, at the exact same time that I was repeating the same thought.

I didn't know if she was mocking me or if she realized it for herself. But she still made me laugh.

“Well, at least we both know it.”

Delilah had always made me laugh. She was the only person besides my little sister who could. And I felt like I had given up on anything in the world being funny or bright or decent since I lost my sister. I wished I'd been a better brother to her when I could have been.

But I couldn't help but feel I'd be able to know if she really was Delilah, if I kissed her again. I'd kissed her. Many times, of course, but the time that stuck the most in my memory was that wild, unexpected first kiss.

Because I regretted it like I regretted nothing else in my life. She was the only woman I ever loved, and she was the devil I regretted.

When I stormed toward her, her eyes widened as if she didn't know what to expect, but she didn't flinch away.

I grabbed her face, my hands cupping either side of her jaw, and kissed her hard.

“What the fuck?” asked someone in the crowd.

I plundered her mouth with mine. She resisted, just for a second, and then her body swayed against mine.

If she'd been a stranger, she should have resisted. Sure, there were plenty of girls who would have lined up for a make out session with me, but she didn't give off those kinds of vibes. It was different with her.

She kissed me back, because she knew who I was, because I felt familiar, like an old friend to her. Even though I definitely wasn't her fucking friend. I'd save that for a fun surprise later though.

For right now, I was really curious about her fake identity. It made sense she couldn't be herself. She'd be hated, just like she should be.

“What is that about?” Pax asked. Oh great, all my favorite assholes had come to this party.

She stumbled back, her lips parting and her eyes wide open. “What was that?”

“I just wanted to taste a little of the same sweet little slut that my friends have apparently enjoyed tonight.”

Those kinds of coarse words didn't come easily to my lips. Cain would have been more the expert on how to degrade a girl, but it had the right effect. She staggered back just a stutter step, as if I had physically struck her, her eyes widening. Yeah, that blow wouldn't have landed so hard if she didn't remember me, either. If I weren't her first fucking love, for all the good she'd repaid me with.

“Excuse me?”

“I don't care about you enough to excuse you. Get out of here. I don’t want to look at your stupid face.” Her stupid, new face, her lips too puffy. She looked too much like every other standard pretty girl at this college who’d had a sixteenth birthday rhinoplasty.

She slapped me across the face, the sound echoing through the room.

I grinned as I turned to the crowd. “What do you think, guys? What kind of score you gonna give her?”

I turned back to her with a grin still written across my face, and she looked livid. “Some girl slaps me across the face pretty much on a monthly basis. It’s just one more way you aren't special, sweetheart.”

Her face colored, and she turned to race off. I smacked her across the ass as she went. “You don't want to play those games with me, little girl.”

She cast a wounded look over her shoulder at me, and then disappeared out the door, running down the staircase. She made good time; maybe she’d worn Converse planning on running the whole time. My friends stared at me with perplexed expressions written across their faces.

“What the fuck was that?” asked Cain. “Even for you, that was a little unnecessary.”

“Even for me?” I said. “You’re usually the one who fucks up girls’ heads.”

He shrugged one big shoulder. “Girls know what they’re getting into with me. They come here because they like it.”

I was sure that was true for some girls, but some girls were just willing to debase themselves any way Cain wanted for the chance to be close to the Golden Boy.

“We need to talk,” I said.

“What can’t wait till morning? I’m trying to get drunk,” Cain groused.

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