Page 75 of House of Ruin
“And yet she did not,” Norse said, tossing the script aside again.
Anger boiled inside Alecto.
“You know, you’re really difficult to work with today,” she said, crossing her arms and glaring at him.
One corner of Norse’s mouth curved up, ever so slightly.
“Don’t you fucking smirk at me, asshole,” Alecto snapped. “We have to rehearse these lines. You were the one to suggest meeting after the lectures so we don’t fuck up in front of the whole class again.”
Norse nodded. “You need to relax, Black. We can have a conversation in between reading the lines. Productive discussion will help us get into the roles, to understand our characters better.”
Alecto sucked on her teeth.
“Come on,” Norse said. He nudged her with his shoulder. “Before you said that all the riches in the world mean nothing without freedom, I didn’t even think about it.”
Alecto arched a brow. “Really, Fox? You know what, don’t answer that. It shouldn’t surprise me that you, out of all people, take freedom for granted.”
Norse rubbed his chin, shaking his head. “You have a Snake’s tongue, good Gods.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“I meant it that way.”
Alecto smirked.
“But I can understand why you love this scene so much,” Norse said. “Revenge is your forte after all. Isn’t that right, Black?”
Alecto stayed silent. Their gazes locked.
“I don’t have a clue of what you mean.”
“Don’t play the fool with me,” Norse said. He inspected his nails. “We both know you were the one to send Matias and Gabe to their doom.”
A shock wave passed through Alecto’s body, but she managed to keep her face neutral. How for the love of the Gods Norse knew about it, Alecto couldn’t fathom. There had been nobody else around the Blood Lake that night, just the Snakes.
And the chances of Jack Riverblood speaking to Norse about it were low. No way a High Priest would go to a rival House to share their failures.
“You don’t have to answer me, Black,” Norse said when Alecto didn’t reply. “If you want my two cents, I think revenge is…hot.”
A cool silver fire burned in Norse’s eyes. Alecto was tempted to turn her gaze away. She was also tempted to ask Norse what those little love notes he had been leaving meant.
But she did neither. Instead, Alecto cleared her throat and jerked her chin towards him. “Not surprised something like revenge gets your dick hard. You’re a Dragon after all.”
“Dragon by blood and by right,” Norse said. He tilted his head to the side. “You should come over to our place to see our infamous Painful Pleasure Basement, Black. I think you might like it.”
Alecto snorted. “Keep fucking dreaming, Fox. The only reason I would be stepping foot in that Hel hole is if I were to burn your home to the ground.”
“You’re good with that as well, aren’t you?”
Silence fell between them again.
“I like the fire in you, Black,” Norse said after a few long moments had passed. “I think your viciousness is a useful tool, and Val’s one lucky High Priestess.”
All this flattery was making Alecto’s stomach hurt. She remembered Val’s instructions to keep an eye on Norse. To find out if he knew anything about the murders.
But she just couldn’t force herself to do it. To use his obvious attraction to her own gain.
Norse was dangerous. The way he looked at Alecto sometimes made every hair rise at the back of her neck. If she indulged his attention even for one second, she might get herself in trouble.
