She’s shaking her head, not meeting my eyes. “I never… I didn’t… his father?—”
“So it’s okay because youwatchedit happen?”
“I… I understand.”
“Good. I’m glad. Just know that if you ever forget that you understand… and you ever make Ellison feel like shit again, I will make your life miserable for the nexteighteen yearslike you did to him.” I give her face a pat and turn invisible before exiting the room. I do it because I want her to know that I could be watching her at any point and she’d never see me.
I assume Ellison is heading home, so I get in the car I’d nabbed and drive to his house. I find his car in the driveway and the front door locked, like he thinks a door will stop me. I pick the lock in seconds and head on inside.
I’m still invisible as I walk up to his bedroom and sit on his bed where I watch him pack.
“I can see the indent on the bed,” he mumbles.
“You don’t like my ass print?” I ask. “I happen to think it’s a perfectly fine ass.”
He stops what he’s doing and looks over at me, so I drop the invisibility. I assume he’s going to tell me off. He’s going to ask me to leave.
But instead, he says, “I don’t want to go.”
And those are the words I need to encourage me. “I really care about you, Ellison. I’m going to go wherever you go.”
“He promised to kill you.”
“He can try.”
Ellison rushes over and grabs me by the front of my shirt, hauling me halfway off the bed. “You aren’t fucking indestructible.”
“Yeah? And I don’t think he is either.”
“Of course he is; he can’t be hurt.”
“Hmm… I am a wise demon, and wise demons have their ways.”
“Stop the cryptic shit. Your ridiculous words will get you nowhere.”
“Got me in your bed,” I say.
“You’re not… in my bed… for those reasons.”
“Ooh, who is this behind me?” I ask as I tip my head back and see one of his illusions hovering over me. It’s not the one who wants me dead, which is clear by the lack of a murder weapon.
“I’ll take him if you don’t want him,” the illusion says before he leans down and kisses me. But I guess… is it really an illusion when he has his own thoughts and actions, sharing them only with Ellison? Ah well, it’s easiest to call him an illusion.
I glance over at Ellison. “This isn’t cheating, right? I mean… both he and youareyou, right?”
Ellison is glaring at the illusion. “Aspen, I didn’t say you could kiss him.”
“You’re sayingIcan kiss him back though, right?” I ask.
“Technically, you’re kissing meandEllison. He can still feel it, and I can feel the way he wants me to kiss you again,” Aspen murmurs before he leans down and kisses me again. It’s a light peck, and I can tell by the smirk on his face that he’s loving what it’s doing to Ellison.
“You know you want to touch him,” Aspen says as he lays me down on my back so only my legs dangle off the bed. “You can’t lie to me. I’m a part of you, Ellison. I know what you’re feeling, even if you refuse to admit it.”
He’s having a stare down with Ellison, who seems to be frozen. Finally, Ellison states, “I’m leaving.”
“Oh, but a little snack before you go won’t hurt… I can snack on him if you want,” Aspen says as his finger catches the bottom of my shirt, tugging it up while Ellison watches.
Last time I had to work so hard to get Ellison to cave, and this time, his illusion is over here trying to make himself cave and I’m here for it.
