I clench my teeth. I want to throw my glass at his head for what he did to Sullen, but it makes more sense now. His anger. How he trapped him.
I swallow hard.
“Before you murder me, there’s something else.”
I wait. It feels as if there is not much more I can take.
“They know we’re here now. Von sent me a courtesy text. Maybe they’ve known all along.” He shrugs. “I think they were waiting for a specific day.”
My blood runs cold. I don’t even let myself think of Von. Instead, I’m remembering the prognosticator Stein went to see, in order to find the best date for Sullen to die.
“I was able to get Maude and the others to come because even though they aren’t familiar with Writhe beyond them busting up the dinner party, she knows enough about powerful men fucking everyone in the system to want to help where she can. And I think she has a crush on me.” He grins. “And Sullen.”
I feel as if I will burst into flames. He must see it in my face, because he grows more serious.
“Stein is coming soon and he’ll bring Klein with him.” He says his father’s name like the man is nothing, and he isn’t, is he? Not to him.
Not to anyone at Haunt Muren.
I need more whiskey. It’s the only thought I have as I stare down at my empty glass.That, and the plague mask blurring in my brain.
“Karia.” He whispers my name like a plea.
And I look up, at Cosmo de Actis, who came all this way and did terrible things because he answered when Sanford called and because he has been carrying memories of that door he saw through when he was a child disobeying his mother.
But Sullen should have never been in that fucking chair.
I think of him, inside. The gloves on his hands. The way I confessed I’d lick his piss from the floor, and Cosmo knows, and I want to suddenly burst out laughing because I don’t care.
I don’t care.
Stein Rule never thought the princess of Writhe would debase herself for his son, did he? No one did. But I will. I am. I will spite his hatred with so much love, Stein, Klein, and his fucking army will drown in it.
How will Sullen feel when I tell him they are coming?
I hope he feels like I do.
Fucking. Ready.
I stand up, and I don’t look away from Cosmo. “Come inside.” It’s a command. There is not time for anymore games now. No more apologies, either, or confessions. Not out here. Not alone.
“Karia—” Cosmo starts again.
But I cut him off.
“Come inside.” My tone is harder. “The rest of this, we’re doing withhim.”Sullen. My monster boy. The one I’d clean up piss with my tongue for.
Chapter 33
Sullen
Cosmo is behind her when she walks in.
That scene would disturb me more any other night, but I see it immediately. Somethingelseis wrong, and it has nothing to do with this little shit trailing at her spine like he deserves to be so close to her. I have learned to read her by now in a way that frightens me sometimes, if only because it means I am too far gone when it comes to Karia Waveria Ven.
I can never let her go now. Even if we are doomed, we will be doomed together.
She glances around the sitting room, eyes roaming past me. And I don’t have to wonder what she is looking for because she asks, her jaw set as she speaks through gritted teeth, “Where is Maude?”
