Page 6 of Demon with Benefits
But then, as quickly as her fear responses appeared, they disappeared. Her eyes narrowed to slits, filled to the brim with loathing, and she got right up in his face.
“You want to act like a tough boy, then go for it,” she snapped, “but it doesn’t change what you really are. You’re a shallow piece of shit with no substance or personality. Your stupid jokes are just a distraction to keep people from catching a glimpse of your sad, miserable life. You can keep lying to yourself about that, but don’t expect me to play along. Find someone else to feed your steaming pile of bullshit to because I’m not buying it. Kindly leave me the fuck alone.”
With that, she spun and stalked back inside, slamming the door behind her.
Meph stared through the glass, watching her blue head disappear into the crowd. She sure knew how to make an exit.
He pulled his phone back out of his pocket and stared at it. Suddenly, he didn’t feel like talking anymore, not even to Jacqui.
He forced himself to write a text.Stoked. I’ll come by first thing tomorrow, so make some extra coffee for me.
Her reply came instantly.
You got it. I can’t wait to see the sculpture! I already know it’s going to be incredible. :)
Yeah, he was a fucking joke.
2
DARK ARTS
THERE WAS ANOTHER VOICEMAIL FROMANTOINE ON HERphone the following morning.
Iris sat in the kitchen of her second-floor apartment and listened to the message—“Can we talk? Please, Iris, just call me back”—sipping coffee and soaking up the sliver of sun passing through the window. It was snowing outside, and the flakes caught the sunlight like diamonds on their lazy drift downward.
After breaking up with Antoine, Iris had decided she was going to stay single until she managed to sort her life out and break her pattern of chasing toxic men. All that shitstorm of a relationship had taught her was the meaning of the word “dysfunctional.”
She’d tried parting the nice way, and he hadn’t gotten the message. She’d tried telling him to eat shit and die, but that hadn’t worked either. Now, six months later, she was ignoring him completely, and hestillwasn’t taking the hint.
It was nice to know she was such hot shit, but seriously. The bloke needed to piss off already.
On that note...She deleted the voicemail, pulled up Antoine’s number in her contacts, and blocked it. The sense of relief was instantaneous, and she set the phone down with a soothing exhalation.Shoulda done that ages ago.If only all of her problems could be solved so easily.
You’re a shallow piece of shit with no substance or personality.
Her fingers tightened around her mug as the tension returned to her shoulders.
Last night, she’d come back inside after tearing Meph a new one, and no matter how hard she tried, she hadn’t been able to get in the socializing mood. It felt like she was viewing everything through a glass bowl over her head, maybe from one of those old-school diving getups that could probably double as a space suit. The sounds were muffled, the people distorted around the edges, her smile forced, her laughter fake.
And then she’d pulled a Lily.
She’d snuck out of her own party and gone home. She’d been in her bed, trying to sleep, by one o’clock, which was practically the start of most good parties in this city. She’d lain awake staring at the ceiling, replaying that stupid conversation in her head and wishing she’d never opened her mouth.
The phone rang, offering a welcome intrusion since it couldn’t be Antoine calling now. Sure enough, her twin’s name popped up on the screen.
“Lils. What’s up?”
“You’re awake.”
“It’s almost ten. Why are you surprised?”
“You never get up early, and last night was a late one.”
For you, maybe.Iris was relieved Lily hadn’t noticed her absence. The last thing she felt like doing was explaining herself.
“Why’d you call then?” She stroked the black fur of her cat, who chose that moment to leap onto her lap. A rare occurrence. Grimalkin was notoriously antisocial and rarely granted such privileges.
“Bel’s cooking breakfast. Eva and Ash are here too. You should come.”
