Page 198 of The Devil We Crave
A farce.
Aplay; produced, directed by, and starring the man who’s now slowly turning to level his black devil eyes at me in a way that sends a chill down my spine.
I want him,sobadly. But I can’t ignore the things I saw.
The things he did.
The machinations he set into place.
Part of meignitesat the thought that Achilles quite literally stalked me: hacking my computer and socials. Spying on me. Taking photos of me while I was asleep. Learning literally everything about me, including the parts I keep hidden even from myself.
Like, that’shot, sort of…albeit in a super fucked-up way that makes me question my ability to see reason and make safe decisions.
But the other part of me feels completelyviolated, almost to the same extent I felt with Kyle this past summer.
The obsessive interest turns me on.
Removing my ability to consent to that interest makes me furious and scared.
So when Achilles fixes me with his piercing gaze as the music roars around us, my unwanted suitor lying defeated at his feet, I don’t run into his arms.
I turn to my friends instead.
“Let’s dance!” I yell.
Galina’s brows shoot up. She and Lucia glance at each other nervously.
“Come on!” I yell again, moving my hips. “We’re here to have fun!”
A presence seeps into my back. Dark menace wraps around me like fog.
“We’re leaving,” Achilles growls right in my ear, his tone edged. “Now.”
I turn to face him. “No,” I hiss back, “weare not.”
His jaw ticks. “This isn’t an argument, little?—”
“Do not call me that,” I snap.
Achilles’ eyes glint.
“You’re walking out of here with me right the fuck now. That, or I’m going to be carrying you out.”
I bark a laugh. “You and what army?!”
His brow furrows in amusement. I’m suddenly reminded that I’m, one,drunk, and two, over a foot shorter and probably a hundred pounds lighter than him.
But then I feel a hand grab my arm, and a very defiant-looking Galina steps forward to glare at Achilles.
“She’s not going anywhere with you,” she snaps, cocking a hip.
On a scale of one to ten, Galina’s current threat level, given her size and that fucking Jackie Onassis sweater over her shoulders,is approximately negative one million. But I still love her to death for standing up to Achilles right now.
“You’re coming too,” Achilles growls, turning his witheringly cold gaze on her.
Galina gulps, but juts out her chin. “How aboutgo fuck yourself, asshole?”
“Yeah.” Lucia appears on my other side, arms folded over her chest. “Fuck off.”
