Page 173 of Everdoll

“I… I’m sorry. I lost control.”

“I can see that.”

At my murmur, her tear-filled eyes snapped to me in irritation.

Damn it, I just wanted to tease her more.

“Serves me right for worrying about you! After everything that happened…” She trailed off and stared at me, prompting me to avert my gaze.

“Why are you here?” she demanded. “Everyone is looking for you.”

“For that exact reason.”

“But why are you hiding? You didn’t do anything wrong.”

When the blast of the siren signaling the end of the bout echoed, I reflexively yanked her body closer. I barely brushed her black cardigan, yet it still felt surreal. It was as though she weren’t the very person who had clouded my mind and tortured me for years. It felt I woke up from a nightmare, then transported right back to when I was nineteen, to a time before we broke apart. Like nothing changed.

I still… hadn’t come to terms with it. My body still recognized her as my lover.

When she stared down with wide eyes at the fingers gripping her, I snatched my hand back.

I was a coward.

“I… I have to go.”

“Wait. You didn’t answer me.” The soft tone she’d used a moment ago vanished now. “You gave that kid a drug. Why? You know the side effects of those sleeping pills, don’t you? You lied to me.”

“You know better than anyone that you shouldn’t trust my word.”

She let out an irritated laugh. “So I’m not getting anything out of you, is that it?”

People were trickling out of the arena, while those on the winner’s side had begun celebrating. As a crowd streamed past us, I turned back to look at her.

“We can’t talk here.”

Witnessing the spark in her eyes brought a fleeting moment of joy, though I knew I shouldn’t indulge in it. Not just here. I shouldn’t be talking to her anywhere.

Yet, just one last time, I wanted to appease her curiosity. I wanted to be useful to her. To have her look at me with proud eyes, maybe stroke my hair and tell me I’d done a good job…

I wanted to be her good boy.

“I think this is far enough.”

We were now in a secluded, garbage-strewn corner where discarded parts from old, rusted water pumps had been dumped. There was no one around. My eyes scanned the walls and the stretch ahead. No hidden onlookers.

Finally, I turned my attention back to Mina. Arms crossed, she was also surveying our surroundings.

“And what about you?” I asked, unable to stop myself. “Why are you here?”

“Oh. Some lunatic threw me down here.”

“What?” My jaw dropped, though she couldn’t see it behind my mask. Still, something in my eyes or voice must have betrayed my shock, because she burst out laughing.

“It actually worked out. She told me I could find the butterfly here.”

“What butterfly?”

“You’re so cold, Raymond. You said you’d forget the past, but wow, you’re really quick on the uptake.”