Page 15 of Boyfriend From Hell
“I uh – it sounds like you’re okay, so I’ll just go!” I tried to call out, but my throat felt like it was closing in on itself and my voice came out as nothing more than a shaky rasp.
Spinning on my heels, I moved toward the door—but the sound of it slamming closed stopped me dead. A rush of cold air slid over my skin in heat-starved tendrils. The air began to feel far too thick, andwrong.
My grip on the butter knife tightened—I hadn’t even realized I’d started trembling. I turned toward the voice, bringing my poor choice of weapon to the front and holding it with both hands.
“And what do you think you’ll do with that?” Raios whispered the question into my ear, as if he were right beside me, “Is that a butter knife?”
Damn right it was a butter knife.
His chuckle, I once thought sweeter than honey, was laced with something that wavered on sinister. I swallowed, my throat still tight with fear.
“This isn’t funny!” I squealed, whipping my head toward his voice. “Jokes o-over!”
What the fuck, what the fuck, what the ACTUAL fuck!
The feeling of an icy finger swiped down my arm, I fought the urge to recoil and instead slashed at the air. My eyes burned as tears began to form. My poor heart was pounding so hard I was amazed it hadn’t broken through my ribs. I spun aroundto face where I thought the door had to be, the knife slipping from my hands as I searched for the doorknob.
It’s too damn dark in here, come the hell on!
I spun around and pressed my back against the wall. The last of my hangover drained away, replaced by fear–well, at least I had that going for me.
Note to future self: say no next time a hot guy locked out of his apartment asks for help.
“Alright, Raios! Ha-ha, very funny little prank,” I called out again, my hands still blindly searching the wall for the doorknob.
I don’t get it. Why me? Of all the tenants in this building, of course it had to be the hot one—and, of course, he just happened to be a nut job.I froze as Raios’ hand suddenly wrapped around my throat, but it didn’t tighten. His thumb traced the column of my throat, sending a sickening shiver down my spine.
This time I couldn’t help but recoil, shrinking under his touch. If I had any sense left, I’d kick him right in the balls—but fear had me paralyzed.
I could smell him—smoke and lavender filled my nostrils. He was so close. I still couldn’t see, but I didn’t need to; if I could, I’d claw out his eyeballs.
Unfortunately, all my previous bravery had completely drained out of me. Tears stung the corners of my eyes, a mix of yesterday’s pain and the creeping dread that I might die in this apartment flooding through me. His finger crawled up my neck, capturing a tear with his fingertip. A low groan escaped him.
“Divine,” he purred.
I stuttered a breath, my knees turning to jelly, threatening to give out on me at any moment.
Something warm and wet slid up my cheek, and the darkness around me seemed to moan in response.
Was that…
Did he just fuckinglickmy tears?
My heart slammed wildly in my chest as my tear-soaked eyes strained against the dark.
Bile rose in the back of my throat, burning like fire.
Maybe if I threw up on him it would buy me enough time to run. Not that I had any idea where I could even run to – if I was fast enough, maybe I could find and lock myself in the bathroom.
“Please,” I rasped, my voice a trembling mess. “Just let me go. I’m sorry for intruding.”
It was a mistake helping him—an even bigger mistake thinking it was a good idea to come over here.
Raios hummed, low and pleased.
“But this is what you wished for, sweet one.”
My shaking knees finally reached their limit, and I slid down the wall.
