Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 140896 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 564(@250wpm)___ 470(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140896 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 564(@250wpm)___ 470(@300wpm)
“I don’t think you came here for any his or how are yous. I’m surprised you even know this place exists.”
I park myself against the shelf beside her and summon Mia’s dramatic pout. “You’ve become so cold, Cecy.”
“Doesn’t feel good to be treated the way you treat people, does it?”
This, of course, is because she helped me, though indirectly, to set off the Heathens’ mansion like fireworks. Apparently, Cecily isn’t a fan of how I used the information she freely provided.
“Aww, you still mad about that other time? That happened centuries ago in human years.”
“You might be able to hurt others and forget about it, but that’s not me, Lan.”
“They allowed themselves to be hurt. Who am I not to indulge them?”
“You’re impossible, and there’s no reasoning with you.” She heaves out a sigh. “I honestly don’t know what I liked about you.”
I grin. “Oh? Is this a confession?”
“No, this is me calling myself daft. I think I liked the idea of you, but when I got close, I realized you’re like your statues. Gorgeous on the outside.” She taps my chest. “Empty on the inside.”
“Did you say gorgeous?”
“Just leave, Lan. I have some work to finish up.”
“Not so fast.” I step in front of her, blocking her exit. “See, I know you swapped me for Jeremy, and while I’m wounded in my little black heart, I let it happen because you can help me bring him down.”
“You…knew?”
“About your feelings for me? You couldn’t have been more obvious, Ces.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“You didn’t; why would I? Besides, it was only a phase, no? Because you somehow got on Jeremy’s radar and you grew to like it. I rooted for you. I even encouraged it. In that fight, I noticed he was looking at you and I wanted to test him, so I said, ‘How does it feel to fancy someone who loves me?’ Kind of got beaten up for it, but confirming he has feelings for you was worth it. The mighty Jeremy in luuurve. Isn’t that poetic?”
A gasp falls from her lips.
That’s it, Cecily. Get the fucker back and leave a certain muse with no other choice but me.
And, yes, I knew about Cecily and Jeremy’s unorthodox relationship for a long time, which is why, during an underground fight, when I got the chance to push Jeremy’s buttons, I went for it in spectacular fashion and succeeded with flying colors.
My childhood friend slowly regains her composure and looks at me as if I’m a cardboard cutout of a human—which isn’t entirely wrong. “I don’t love you. I never did.”
“That’s what he thought, though.” My grin widens. “Sorry, I mean thinks.”
“Doesn’t matter.” She pushes past me, choosing to focus on the boring task of organizing shelves. “We’re no longer together, and even if we were, I would never help you hurt him.”
“Are you sure? Because he has a blonde bombshell hanging on his arm and pasting herself to his side like superglue. There’s her mute clone, too. The Sokolov sisters are vying for his attention, and if you don’t do something about it, one of them will have him.”
She stiffens, but soon, her shoulders drop. “He can do whatever he wants. And don’t call her a mute. That’s not nice.”
“I’m not nice.”
“Shocker.” Cecily rolls her eyes. “Also, Mia is only around to watch her sister. She didn’t look to be interested in Jeremy.”
“Or that’s what she wants you to think while she slithers around him like a snake.”
Maya is flirtatious by nature. Mia wouldn’t know how to flirt even if she took a lesson in the art. Despite her attitude and extensive kink flavor, she’s actually closed off and a bit clueless. So the fact that she’s purposefully spending more time with Jeremy is a red flag in every dictionary.
“Point is, get Jeremy back. This is the last courtesy I’ll offer you before I slice his throat open and sculpt him into the ugliest stone.”
“I’m not helping you, Lan.”
“I don’t want you to help me. Just take him off the market.”
She pauses and cocks her head to the side, mimicking an arrogant shit she definitely is not. “Oh. I get it. Is this about Maya? Maybe Mia? Both?”
“Don’t worry your pretty little head about that and just resume whatever weird thing you had with Jeremy.”
Her shoulders droop and she sighs like an old lady who’s gone through both world wars. “I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“He’s not interested in me anymore.”
I look at her intently. Is this a distasteful joke? People, my friends included, are a fucking headache. Seriously, what would everyone do without me in their lives?
“Not interested in you? On what planet have you been living, Cecily? The guy stalks you like a creep and actually smiles while he does it—honest to fucking God thought he didn’t know how. He’s also developed some bizarre fetish about removing anyone who poses an obstacle to you. That teacher who was giving preferential treatment to his friend’s kid? Jeremy was the reason he asked to transfer. Those American football players who stole and slashed your textbooks? Jeremy eliminated them. Those guys at the club who danced with you? Jeremy beat them the fuck up and put one in a coma. Oh, and news fucking flash, he tortured Jonah to near death by waterboarding him and threatened to kill his parents, brothers, sisters, and everyone he cared about. Then he proceeded to tell his family about all the scandals he could get them into by airing some of their dirty laundry. That’s the only reason Jonah turned himself in. He still gets beaten up in prison every day because Jeremy and his whole fucked-up entourage have the ability to pay off people who can do it. Inside England’s prisons, which should be far away from their territory, but isn’t. You still think that’s not called interest?”