I waited for my peanut gallery's input, but all I heard was the wind between my ears. What the hell?! When the fuck have you all kept your thoughts to yourself? That's a dick move.
Cal's voice came rushing forward.And now you're going to torture someone in front of her? You're fucked.
Was that true? Was I now going to be less desirable to her?
We parked in front of an abandoned building. My dungeon was beneath it, hidden away from the world. It was my pride and joy, and now I’m self-conscious about it. Should I make this quick and rush her off somewhere else? Should I leave her in the car?
Something touched me, and I jolt, looking down to see her hand on mine. "Are we going in?"
Before I could think of something better to say, I blurted out, "You don't have to."
Her lips quivered before they tipped up, her eyes looking behind me as she threw her chin in that direction. "I think I do."
Turning around, I saw one of father's men in his car, waiting, watching. I'm sure giving my father regular updates to make sure what he wanted happened. How annoying.
"Him?" I threw my thumb over my shoulder, scoffing, "Oh, I can take care of him. I’ll just say that the voices told me to kill him.”
Cal and Nan both yelled in my head,We did not!
I turned my head to the side, mumbling, "But they don't know that."
"Who are you talking to now? Cal? He seems like a chatty one?" Her smile widened, eyes sparkling with interest, and I leaned towards her. Was she interested in the voices?
Oh shit, she's interested in me. Tell her that I'm the handsome one and that if I was alive, I would sweep her off her feet and leave you in the dust.
Clenching my teeth, I seethed, "Shut. The. Fuck. Up."
Zia stiffened, looking away as her cheeks flushed. "Oh. I'm sorry. You don't have to talk about them if you don't want to." Her hand slipped from me, and everything inside of me squeezed up like a prune.
“No! No.” Desperation clawed at my mind, tearing it to shreds as I fumbled around with my words. “I wasn't talking to you; I was talking to Cal. He's an asshole, so please, please don't leave me for him.” The hysterical plea was quite pathetic, but the disappointed look on her face physically hurt me, making me want to do anything to make it go away.
Now you sound like a simp, you little bitch.
Biting the inside of my mouth to make sure I didn't say anything back to Cal, I stared at my roma, hoping that I didn't ruin our alone time.
Her eyes tipped up to find mine, stunning me to stillness. I'd seen men break, seen the light leave their eyes, seen their bodies go slack. But her? She looked at me like I was someone worth seeing, and I wanted that more than anything in this world.
She cupped my face, and I snuggled into her palm, soothed by just the touch of her skin on mine. "Now, why would you think something like that? Cal is in here," she tapped my temple, "I could never leave you for him." She's right. She was always right. So smart. Just the smartest person on this planet. "Plus," she leaned in, smiling at me like we were sharing a secret. "He seems like he's full of himself." Her nose crinkled as she tried to make a disgusted face, but all I saw was this adorable cuteness that made my soul leave my body as I laughed at Cal’s expense.
She leaned back in her seat, taking her warmth with her too quickly and I stuck my bottom lip out, hoping the pitiful look I gave would get me what I wanted. Instead, she nodded to the man behind me again; “Let's just do this so we don't cause more trouble. Okay?”
Nodding, I got out of the car and opened her door, helping her out as I led her into my dungeon of wonders, glaring at the man who ruined our time together. He was on borrowed time anyways.
Since I had just been here earlierthis morning, cleaning out the place full of bodies, I knew my father already had the man he wanted me to question strung up in my special cell in the back. Bringing her through the front and down the stairs, I thought to myself that it was really quite dark in here. What if she tripped?
"Here, take my hand. I'll help you." Her fingers fumbled around for mine, but as soon as our hands touched, it was like electricity hit my bloodstream and went right to my heart. Will it always be this way? Will she always affect me like this? I hoped so. I liked the tingles.
"Well," she covered her mouth and nose with her other hand, "you got the despondent, hopeless abyss vibe going for you down here. A plus for ambiance."
I wanted to be happy about my A plus, but her expression made me sniff at the air, wondering if I should get some air fresheners to clear out that… death smell. Maybe that new car scent could work? Oh, what about something romantic, like a tropical sunset?
We got to the last solid iron door, unlatched it and held it open for her to go in first. I might be a lot of things, but I knew how to be a gentleman. I watched TV.
She walked in and stopped, looking at the man hanging by shackles from the ceiling. He was whimpering, making the normal noises, but her eyes stayed on him, watching him, and something about that… irked me. Something dark and ugly inside of me screamed,Don't look at him, look at me!
Nan's soothing voice came forward.Don't worry. She's just finally taking in what it is you do.
Yeah, sure, but did she have to look at him for so long? The feeling of ants crawling around in my heart, biting every corner they could find until it was an itchy mess, was really getting under my skin.
