Wind whips through the trees as I scroll my phone. I was early, but after that crazy meeting and learning something was living in our basement, I had to get the fuck out of there.
Besides, I wanted the jumpstart on the little fucker who thought he could degrade my girl with his words from behind his phone screen.
Shit. Not ‘my girl.’
I’d trekked up to Gallows Hill Cemetery with one thing on my mind- making David pay for hurting Skye. Over my dead body would I allow someone to treat her like that. I’d been messaging him, pretending to be Skye, as something to take my mind off all the shit that had been going on lately. I arranged for us to meet here, and he was more than happy to, believing that Skye would be here waiting for his sorry ass.
People were always braver when they thought they could be a horrible human being from their devices. Posting things that most people wouldn’t dare to utter to your face. In cyberspace ripping people apart had become a form of entertainment, the light from their phones illuminating their bored as fuck faces from their reclining chairs.
He could come here and say those things to my face and see how well those words would land.
It felt good to focus all my hurt and rage that had been consuming me these last few weeks, into this one piece of shit. It gave me a break from feeling so broken. The loss of Pierce was an ever-present force following me around like my own shadow.
As I lean back, I notice the unmistakable blonde hair with tipped purple staring over at me from the opening in the trees.
“Lukas?” Skye’s voice sounds faint as she traipses through the graveyard, leaves crunching under her black boots. The sound startles a group of crows, making them take flight between us.
I pocket my phone quickly, shoving my hands deep in my pant pockets. She tracks the movement, her crystal blue eyes missing nothing.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, attempting to look nonchalant, yet feeling anything but inside.
David should be here any minute and I need her to leave.
“Thought I’d take a walk, get out of the craziness of the house for a minute.” She shifts on her feet, looking down.
I feel an amused smirk pull at my lips, “Did you follow me here?”
“No.” She says, way too fast to be the truth.
I push off the grave I’ve been resting against and crowd her space. She bites her bottom lip and goddamn do I miss being able to bite that. She catches me staring down at her lips and her face flushes scarlet. The energy between us is electric. It’s taking everything in me to not take her into my arms right now.
“Skye?” A male voice interrupts our stare-off. I back up a step and take in the medium build, greasy-haired guy wearing cargo shorts. I shouldn’t be surprised by the mediocrity he oozes. He walks with the audacity of thinking Skye would still want someone like him. Someone with the nerve to tear her down.
“David? What…?” Skye’s eyes bounce between me and David as he passes under the graveyard sign.
“Who’s your friend?” He asks with a smirk, coming close enough that I can smell his pungent cologne. I feel my lip curl up into a sneer.
“What are you doing here?” Skye asks, folding her arms across her chest defensively.
I tried to shield her from me, tried to push her away so she wouldn’t see this dark part of me that’s only grown since Pierce’s death. But, if she’s followed me out here, let her see why we’re such a bad idea. Let her see just how depraved I can be.
I feel a rattling in my chest, like my demon is waking up. Instead of flooding me with Lust, darkness floods my senses, filling my veins and pumping evil into my being.
“I invited him here.” I say, stalking up to David, who has the good sense to look worried.
He looks over to Skye, “You texted me to meet you here?” He asks with a gulp.
She shakes her head, frozen to the spot where she stands. I wrap my fist around David’s shirt, clutching the fabric in the middle of his chest to bring him closer to me.
“I saw what you messaged her, you little prick. Do you get off on belittling women?”
His muted brown eyes are blown wide with fear as he shakes his head no.
“Look, whatever this is, I don’t want any part of it. I don’t want any trouble.” He raises his arms up in surrender and I let out a humorless laugh.
“Don’t want any trouble, huh. Well, Skye didn’t want you to cut down her self-esteem, but here we are. Are you really going to stand there and try and tell me that she’s not the most beautiful fucking woman you’ve ever seen?”
“Lukas.” Skye interrupts. I look over at her, her brows are pinched together, and she shakes her head side to side. “Don’t do this.” But as she finishes her sentence, David takes a swing at me, hitting me upside the head and causing me to stumble back. I let go of his shirt and catch myself. I miss hitting the tombstone next to us by an inch. He could have cracked my head open.
