Page 220 of Embriagado

“Fuck!” I snarled. “You got it all wrong⁠—”

He twisted my arm harder, jabbing the blade deeper until he leaned close, his lips ghosting my ear.

“The only thing I got wrong was believing you were any different.”

The blade of the knife wasn’t nearly as cold as his voice.

“Ari, please⁠—”

“I should have put a bullet in your brain while I still could,” he hissed, then, in a split second, let go of me.

I lunged forward, one hand gripping the counter for support while the other was on my neck, my pulse roaring like a drumbeat in my ears as I checked the small scratch the blade left. While I was still processing his words, Ariyan tossed the knife he’d almost used to slit my throat to the floor, grabbed his helmet, and stormed toward the door, saying nothing else on his way out. I could have chased him. Fuck. I should have chased him, but instead, I dropped to the floor and buried my face in my bloodied hands, surrounded by the mess of my own making.

52

ARIYAN

“Why can’t we go to the fair together?”

He put down his cup of tea and looked at me. “I already told you why. We’ve gotta work.”

Disappointment clenched my stomach, and I looked at my palms. Last week, he said we’d go, and now he’d suddenly changed his mind?

“But it’s not fair.” I scratched my arm. “You’re going to stay here while I’ll have to be with that stinky old man.” I hated that geezer. He smelled bad and tasted even worse.

“Oh, come on now,” Ariyan said as he sat down beside me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder and pulling me close. “You know it’s how we work best, right? Me being the brain and you out, doing the fieldwork.” He pinched my nose before flashing me a big smile. “Besides, I also used to do that job when I was your age.”

“So does that mean I’ll stop doing it, too?”

He took out a cough drop from his pocket and popped it in his mouth. He always sucked on those candies.

“Of course, silly.” He ruffled my hair.

My cheeks turned hotter. “Do you promise?”

Meeting my stare, his dark eyes locked with mine. “Have I ever broken a promise before?”

I clamped my lips shut and shook my head.

He smiled, once again draping his arm around me. “You and I are in this together, Teo. We’re family.”

His words warmed my heart, and I leaned closer to him, wishing to stay like this forever, but his phone rang, and he got up to take the call, leaving me behind. And while he talked, I watched him, like I always did—since the very first day we met on the street. He walked around our shared room, which was filled with his half-full paper tea cups, talking to some client while running his fingers through his hair. He loved dying it different colors, and for the last few weeks, it was snow white—same color as his pet rat. He was a few years older, cooler, and much smarter than me, so even though I didn’t like the color white, I didn’t say a word.

I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling. It had been a while since that fucker last came to my mind, and I couldn’t say I missed him. Taking a deep breath, I straightened in my chair. It was already evening, and yet, since getting back to the hotel, I hadn’t done a single thing. There was work to do, but I couldn’t bring myself to focus, not when Santiago’s hurt expression kept flashing before my eyes.

That damn idiot. What did he expect would happen? I thought it went without saying that he’d fight again, or else why would he take me up on my offer in the first place? It wasn’t like I asked him to do it for free either. I gave him what he wanted, did my best to make him happy and feel seen to the point I allowed myself to enjoy it, too. And while it was foolish, it felt right because for a second there, I honestly believed he was different.

Only he isn’t.

Santiago Rivas was a liar who, just like that other guy, wanted to get rid of me the first second he could.

My heart paused, remembering the moment he reached for those knives. He said I got it all wrong, but had I really? It wouldn’t be the first time someone I loved tried to kill me. And yet, he didn’t look like he wanted me dead, not to mention, he was so gentle last night, and even before⁠—

Just give me a break and fucking die, you piece of shit. But not before I gouge out your eyes and slit your throat, you fucking whore.

I gripped my head, squeezing my eyes shut so that awful voice would give me a break. Luckily for me, my phone rang at the perfect time, and I answered it without even checking to see who it was.

“What?” I snarled, not in the mood for manners.