Page 57 of Voracious

A few minutes pass, and I check my phone.

But as I type a message to Kade to provoke him, the door opens, and I hold my breath.

Anticipation swirls in my stomach, and I fight the urge to throw myself out and into his arms.

It’s not Kade though. Lu bursts in, with Base following behind her. I move deeper into the wardrobe, peeking out at them from between some coats.

“Then why? What the fuck else do I need to do?”

“I already told youno. I’ve told you to stay away from me constantly, and you won’t stop! Why? Why won’t you give up?”

“Because I like you,” he admits, shrugging. “Is that not obvious?”

“You just want a quick fuck.”

He scoffs. “I can assure you, princess, it wouldn’t be a quick fuck.”

“I don’t want you. I don’t want to talk to you or to be near you.”

Base clicks his tongue and shakes his head. “If you meant that, then you’d actually block me and not message me back. If you really wanted me to stay away from you, you’d stop phoning me when you have a fucking bad day or having me fly all the way to fucking America to sleep in your bed. Do you know how much of a head fuck that is for me? I want you. I wanted you when we kissed during dares. I wanted you when we kissed months later. Cuddling in bed. FaceTiming while we both fell asleep. And I wanted you the night we spent with the other couple. Don’t you get that? It’s not a quick fuck. I wantyou.”

“We would never work,” she says, crossing her arms. “We can’t work.”

“Why?”

She stares at him, and I contemplate revealing myself. It feels wrong to be here without them knowing. I knew Base was obsessed with Lu, and they do act shifty sometimes, but she never once told me or Tylar she had him fly over and cuddle her in bed, that she cries to him on the phone, that they… I don’t even know what he meant by the other things.

“We have very different lives, Sebastian. I would never fit into yours.”

“How so?”

“Your grandfather wants you to take over the family business. He wants you to marry a Russian princess. I’m not even Russian! Do your friends know you have strong ties with the mafia? Do you really think my dad or brother would allow me to be with you?”

“Don’t use that against me. You know where I stand with it.”

“And you know where I stand with it. Therefore, we won’t work.”

“Tell me why,” he says, pulling off his mask and tossing it on the bed behind her. “Give me a good reason and I’ll stop. I mean it. I’ll delete your number; I’ll stop contacting you. You can find someone else to unload on when you’re feeling down.” He takes a step forward. “I’ll give up. I promise. Just give me a good reason.”

“It’s wrong,” Lu says, her voice shaking. “You’re my brother’s best friend.”

“Kade doesn’t give a shit. Give me arealreason.”

Lu drops her head.

“One good reason. That’s all I want. I’ll leave you alone.”

Luciella doesn’t respond. Base takes another step towards her, pulling off her mask and dropping it next to my…Oh God. I left my bat. This entire night has just plummeted. Instead of Kade hunting me, I’m stuck in a damn wardrobe, and there’s a chance I might witness my friend fucking Base.

If they start, I will burst out of here and cover my eyes while spewing apologies.

“Answer me, Ella.” Base cups her cheek. “One. Good. Reason.”

“Our first kiss was a dare, and the second time was a mistake. Everything else between us was platonic. You didn’t touch me during—” She stops, her nostrils flaring, then she pulls away from him, putting distance between them. “Don’t touch me.”

Base pinches the bridge of his nose. “I don’t know what else to fucking do here. Do you just not give a fuck about me, is that it? I’m your shoulder to lean on, right?”

“Don’t.”

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