Page 70 of Touched By Sin
“Daemon,” Alaric says, his voice carrying a warning, “think about what you’re saying.”
I stand my ground, refusing to cower, no matter how much taller than me he is.
His hand shoots out and he grips my throat, pulling me into him. “You’re just a willing pussy.”
My throat clogs up with emotion, but I force it down. He’s right. I’m no one in their world. “I should have taken Dmitriy up on his offer. He was right when he said he would never treat me as badly as you do. It looks like I’ll be in good hands.”
He drops me like he’s been burned, and then he steps back and shoves Alaric out of his way as he makes his escape.
“Run, Daemon. It’s what you’re good at!” I call after him, ignoring the strong urge to chase after him. “Fucking asshole!” I do a double take when I notice the others staring at me. “What?”
They exchange glances. “You’re toxic when you’re together,” Alaric says, looking uncomfortable.
“Because he’s a prick, and I’m fucking over it!”
“And you like to attack his pride every damn time,” Alaric retorts, shaking his head. “Daemon is a powerful angel and used to getting his own way. He’s not used to this-this…”
“This what? Spit it out!”
“You defy him all the fucking time.” Alaric kills the distance between us before ducking down and forcing me to look him in the eye. “I know he has a shit way of showing it, but he’s in love with you.”
My mouth falls open. I scoff, then laugh. “Are you on drugs?” I make quotation marks with my fingers. “You’re just a willing pussy.”
Alaric averts his gaze, staring at the wall for a long moment. Then he rubs his hand over his face and looks back at me. “Whatever. Believe what you want, Angel. Just know that you did more than just slap him here today. Daemon is nothing if not destructive. If you attack his pride, you need to understand there are plenty of female angels willing to help build it back up to unreachable heights. Are you okay with that? Someone else on his lap, whispering sweet nothings in his ear, because you lashed out in anger?”
My shoulders square as I curse the tears in my eyes. “Why are you making me out to be the villain in this story? He stole me!” I point to my chest. “I didn’t ask to come here. I didn’t ask for this.” I gesture at the floor, the walls, them. “I didn’t ask for any of it!”
Alaric looks away, better at keeping his anger at bay than Daemon and me. “I don’t know what you want me to say.” When he looks back at me, there’s a hardness in his eyes. “Hell is a cruel place, full of cruel people. It’s not Heaven. The sooner you realize that, the easier life will be for you.”
He walks off and Ronan follows him.
Sinking back against the wall and sliding down to the floor, I let the tears fall. Everything is such a mess, and I don’t know who I am anymore. I don’t know who I’m supposed to be in this world. Dariana crouches down in front of me, takes my hand in hers, and squeezes it. “Everyone fights sometimes. He’ll come around.”
The framed portrait painting on the floor is cracked. I did that. I ruined it. Like I ruin everything I touch.
Dariana’s soft fingers wipe the tears from my cheeks. “Arguments suck. Anger sucks. I know what it’s like. I’ve lived here my entire life, remember?”
I appreciate that she’s trying to make me feel better, but I feel like shit.
“Do you know what helps after an argument?”
I sniffle pathetically, wiping beneath my nose and shaking my head. “No…”
“Dancing and alcohol. Lots of it. Come with me. Let’s get you dressed and dolled up and forget about all this for a while.” Rising from the floor, she holds her hand out. I stare at her manicured nails and olive skin before clasping her hand and letting her pull me to my feet.
ChapterTwenty
AURELIA
The music is so loud, I can feel the base in the floorboards beneath my heels. Dariana dressed me in a short, glittery black dress, far more revealing than anything I’ve ever worn before, and I feel pretty.
We’re in the human world, back in the club where they come to hunt. Mortal men flirt with us, and we let them buy us drinks. I’m having fun—a novel concept.
“Why is there fruit in my drink?” I ask, squinting at the pieces floating in my drink.
“It’s a gin and tonic. It’s supposed to have strawberries,” she shouts over the music. “Try one. Best combination ever.”
“You know, I’m only just getting used to blood, and now you’re introducing me to alcohol mixed with fruit? Wait, I thought you didn’t eat food?”
