𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒 | 18+

Chapter 10

Ryan is sitting on the chair in front of one of the mirrors, getting his face touched up.

Kyle is nowhere to be found and Dan resumes his seat in front of the mirror so the make-up artist can continue their work.

Toby – one of the makeup artists – sends us a cheerful smile when he sees us.

"I didn't expect these three stunning ladies to walk in," he says happily and motions to the bed, "please, make yourselves comfortable. How have you guys been?"

Vi talks with Toby while I join in sometimes.

Rose, the other makeup artist, motions at Delilah to come over and tells her where she can put her stuff and that she can get started right away.

Goosebumps erupt on my skin when I feel a certain presence enter the room. The fact that I'm so attuned to him, freaks me out.

He appears from one of the other doors, in one of his signature soft-looking sweaters and dark hair covering his forehead.

His dark eyes sweep over the room and my heart skips a beat when they go over me. That's all they do.

They sweep over me. They don't linger. They don't go over my frame.

Just... nothing.

Why the fuck am I here?

Delilah awkwardly fidgets by the mirror and clears her throat. "Hi," she greets him with a little, insecure smile, "you can take a seat here."

His tall, intimidating frame lowers itself on the chair in front of her. Even sitting down, he could easily tower over other people.

Delilah gets everything out of her kit and immediately gets to work.

I can't help myself; I watch how her hands touch his face when applying all her cremes and primers – that he doesn't really need, his face is flawless as it is.

It's quiet between them at first. And I watch them sit in silence. Delilah's lower lip is trapped between her teeth as she works on him, but I can tell that the silence is bothering her.

After a few more seconds of silence, Delilah switches to her usual jokes. Jokes I recognize because she always uses them to break the ice and chase away any awkwardness.

She does that a lot, and it always works.

And Ares chuckles at them.

Just like that, I can see any tension float away and he grows comfortable in her presence.

She has him at his most vulnerable. When he lets her work on his face and let her so close to him.

And I don't know why I'm so transfixed by their moment. Why it's bothering me somewhere deep down, while Delilah is just doing her job.

I shouldn't be surprised, because Delilah could even get a statue to talk and laugh.

And I've always admired that about her.

Up until now.

Because I've always had this thought that Ares was mean to everyone, and not just me. That he'd be an asshole to everyone else and that being arrogant was just his nature.

But here he is, chuckling at her jokes and answering some questions she asks.

A deep and heavy feeling pierces my heart, and I hate it.

Soft fingers tickle my throat and involuntary, a giggle escapes me.

I glare at Violet who has a mischievous glint in her eyes.