Running With Devils

Twenty-Two

"Fuck you," I said, trying to keep my voice even. "And fuck your attempt to isolate me from people who actually care about me."

"I haven't isolated you from anything," he said, taking a quick drag from his cigarette as he stepped closer. He exhaled, the smoke blowing directly into my face. "You've done that well enough on your own."

I couldn't believe I had fallen for his lie. I couldn't even fucking believe I had been stupid enough to think that he even had a shred of care for me, beyond his own selfish reasons.

"Alright," I said quietly, straightening my shoulders. "Fine. You want to play dirty? Great. I wasn't kidding about never giving that heart back. Not until I see you on your hands and knees begging me to hand it over."

A curiously amused smirk grew on his face.

"Oh, really?"

"Yea," I ground out. "Really."

"And if I begged you to fuck me like how you hate me, would you do it?"

Fire roared inside me, forcing my thighs to tighten.

"Absolutely the fuck not—"

"Then, I don't see why I should bother begging when the benefit of my efforts aren't guaranteed," he said smoothly, stepping forward again, pulling the cigarette from between his lips. He was so close... "But if it was?"

He licked those terribly delectable lips, eyes landing on mine.

"If it was," I asked slowly, looking for him to answer his own question.

"Little witch, if it was, I'd be no better than that human boy you keep," he spoke firmly. "I'd be on my knees every single fucking day, worshipping the very air you breathe."

Oh, fuck. This asshole was good.

Too good.

I knew he was playing me once again. He knew my weaknesses. Those were words that I had maybe always longed to hear.

They were a sweet poison to my ears, filling my head with hot, passionate, even wild, fantasies that I never allowed myself to even consider.

"Ah," I breathed, laughing softly. "There it is. There's the bait."

He didn't back down. He held my suspicious gaze.

"The question is, are you going to take it? Or do I need to find my pleasure somewhere else?"

My entire body felt a strange twist. It was anger... and something else.

"You have no shame," I muttered. "Go fuck your hand for all I care. Leave me out of it."

He let out a breath. I could almost detect disappointment on his face. But he quickly fixed a nonchalant look.

"Then, I'll go see about my appointment," he smirked. "You're welcome to change your mind at any point."

"Don't hold your breath," I muttered.

Then I brushed past him, looking for somewhere to escape to that would allow me some peace of mind. I went room by room, exploring some of the things they had inside this huge warehouse.

There were rooms dedicated to sex— unsurprisingly. A room for combat. Another predictable sight. But I had stumbled upon something else.

I opened one last door. It was dim inside, but there were rows reaching the ceiling that were filled with books.

Interesting.

I stepped inside, shutting the door behind me. I wander the space tracing my fingers along some of the spines as I read their titles.