Page 85 of Deliria

He pulls the end of the sheet up off the bed and wipes the few bits of splatter onto it while I lay there, watching them both warily.

“Let’s get some lunch.” Alex says, fixing his shirt. “I’d say I’ve built up quite the appetite.”

Vincent nods, slapping him on the back while muttering something I don’t catch.

Are they not going to untie me? Are they not done? I jerk my head and I stare in horror as they both head for the door and as they open it, I lose what little rational sense I have left.

“No.” I scream. “You can’t leave me. Not like this. Not…”

Alex lets out a laugh that echoes around the room. “You really don’t understand, do you?” He says. “This is a punishment, Scarlett. You broke the rules. So now you have to pay the price.”

“What rules? What did I do?”

He drops his gaze, staring between my legs as if that’s the answer, as if that makes any sense, and then he just turns and walks out right behind his father.

Scarlett

I’m still buzzing from the gallery as I make my way through the crowded streets. Each brushstroke seemed to echo my own exuberant passion, igniting a flame in me that feels like it’d long been dulled by simply living.

Even the murky drizzle around me can’t dampen my spirits.

I can’t wait to get back to the studio, to unleash this energy into something tangible, to see what I can create. In my mind I’m already conjuring up images, each one calling to me, coaxing me to breathe life into them first.

I step onto the curb, narrowly avoiding getting drenched by a humongous puddle as I raise my hand to summon a cab.

As one screeches to a halt in front of me, I get in, glad to be finally taking the weight off my feet. I knew it was a stupid idea to wear these heels, but they matched the rest of my outfit perfectly.

No pain no gain, right?

But my moment of relief is shattered when a man careens into the back seat from the other side.

Taken aback, I snap, “What the fuck are you doing? Get out.”

My heart races, surprise morphing into defensive adrenaline as I prepare to shove him out myself. No bloody way is he stealing my taxi. He can find his own.

That’s when I see his face, and my insides twist with confusion and dread.

It’s Rafe—Alex’s erstwhile younger brother.

I hadn’t expected to see him again, not since the last strained family dinner that simmered with tension thick enough to slice. His presence is an unwelcome reminder of an entanglement I’ve tried carefully to untangle, lurking dangerously close to my frayed edges.

“Scarlett.” His voice is steady, but there’s an unsettling energy radiating from him, infectious and sharp, like static in the air before a storm. The way he says my name makes it sound like an insult. Like he can’t even stand pronouncing the syllables. I guess that feeling’s mutual. He’s a Forster, after all, though I may not show it on my face, I hate every last one of them.

“What are you doing?” I demand, my voice low because I don’t want even the driver to hear our conversation. There’s no warmth in my tone, just the iron chill of my instincts screamingthat I need to be cautious, very fucking cautious. One wrong move could fuck this entire thing up.

He also glances at the driver before turning his attention back to me. “Alexander knows. He knows everything.”

Panic sends my heart ricocheting against my ribs. “What do you mean?” I try to sound indifferent, to play it cool but the tremor in my voice gives me away.

“Drop the act, Scarlett. No one’s falling for it anymore.” His dark eyes bore into mine, and it feels like he’s trying to peel away the layers I’ve so carefully constructed.

The smile from the gallery feels worlds away now.

“That’s not possible. He doesn’t know about—” My words are choked off, a suffocating gasp slams my mouth shut on the truth I’m desperately trying to hide.

I need to be smart here. Afterall, this could be a trick. This could be him trying to gain information, to get some sort of leverage.

“Alexander knows exactly who you are. Who your parents are,” Rafe continues, an ominous edge sharpening his voice. “He’s not stupid. And my father… he has a scheme of his own. It’s over. Whatever this is, whatever you had planned, you’re done.”

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