Page 82 of Embriagado

Yeah, and I fucking regret it now.

“You’re right.”

The tension between his brows relaxed, but before he could get his hopes up⁠—

“And I shouldn’t have.”

“Santiago—”

“I have to go now.” I was already on the move.

“When will you be back?”

Get a fucking grip, Gabe.

“No clue.”

“W-well, I’m going to wait until you are.”

I didn’t bother replying to this persistent idiot and just walked away.

Gabriel had every right to demand answers to the very questions I’d asked myself. Why was I getting off to violence? Fuck me if I knew. The same went for why I was walking into my own death trap right now—another question I couldn’t answer.

The only thing I knew was that when it came to Ariyan, nothing made sense, and yet, I kept falling deeper and deeper into that lunatic’s trap. It was as if I was hooked on pain or something. Every encounter with him left me bruised and bleeding, and yet there I was, coming back for more.

So maybe I was starting to understand Gabriel better, because at this point, we were both idiots going back for more when we should just stay the fuck away from the very thing hurting us.

* * *

Standing in front of his office door, I checked the time on my phone.

09:59:55.

I bit my lip, counting the seconds before I knocked.

09:59:57.

09:59:58.

09:59:59.

10:00.

Fucking finally⁠—

“When you put your mind to it, you’re more than capable of behaving, Mr. Rivas.”

Turning around to the sound of his poisonous voice, I saw Ariyan walking down the hall, a smug smile on his lips, until he stopped before me.

“Right on time.” He checked his wristwatch. “Well done.”

My jaw twitched, and I gritted my teeth, doing my best not to snap when his eyes dipped down my body.

“What are those things you’re wearing?”

My brows furrowed, and I glanced at my gray sweats. “Joggers?”

“I know what they are. The question is, why are you wearing them?”