Page 57 of This Ravenous Fate
Layla hadn’t prepared to answer that question. She had assumed Mei would just accept the apology and they would move on and continue tolerating each other just like they had after each kiss, no matter how violently it began. She sighed and turned to face Mei.
“I’m sorry for being selfish. I’m sorry for taking my anger out on you. You don’t deserve that. You’ve had a rough couple of weeks—”
“We all have,” Mei said strongly. “We have had a rough couple of years. I’ve wasted so much money on phone calls and trips across the state. And for what? Any family would have taken one look at me and rejected me anyway.”
Layla didn’t have to ask to know Mei was talking about their reaperhood and how it had negatively affected them both in ways they couldn’t always be open about. She thought about the phone books in Mei’s room and how when they had first become friends a couple years ago, Mei had an entire portion of her day blocked out just to pore over residents with her last name, wondering if any of her family members had finally come from China. It had been years since Mei left them as a teenager to find a life in New York, but thatloneliness continued to chase her. Layla lowered her eyes and swallowed past the painful lump in her throat.
Mei sighed. “I don’t hate you for working with the Saint girl. It’s hard to let go of your past, especially when it’s so violently ripped away from you. But I hope you know that whatever she says, it’s not sincere. You’ve been through enough with her. Work with her now, but promise me you will always come back home.”
The tightness in her chest increased when Layla looked up and saw the conflicting emotions in Mei’s eyes. “I already know I cannot trust her, Mei,” Layla said.
Mei shrugged. A tiny smile played at her lips. “I know you know that. But the Saints are master manipulators. It’s made worse since they’ve got pretty faces to match their pretty lies.”
Layla’s stomach flipped. She scoffed. She wasn’t sure if it was because of Mei’s comment, or if it was the sudden intrusion of Elise in her thoughts. But her body loosened up, the weight of today’s damage already lifting off her bit by bit. “Saint girl isn’t that pretty.” Layla rolled her eyes.
“No?” Mei asked. Her tone went up a notch as she took on a mocking voice. “I’ve seen her. Though I suppose if she wasn’t so evil, she would be much prettier.”
Layla snorted. “I think evilness givesreapersan edge. Not people.”
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Mei asked, her smile widening.
“What do you think I’m saying?” Layla lifted a brow.
Mei trailed her fingers down Layla’s arms and Layla swore herblood swirled with her bare touch. “You think I’m pretty.”
“Hmmm…” Layla didn’t look away, but her face went hot as she nodded. “The first time I kissed you was right after we killed a man.”
Mei tapped a finger against Layla’s lips. “You’re wrong.”
“No, I’m not—”
She silenced Layla with a soft kiss that made all of Layla’s previously protesting thoughts melt away. When she pulled away, Layla’s body moved toward her, wanting more of that intoxicating warmth. “Ikissedyou,” Mei whispered.
Layla’s fangs snapped out and she hissed an irreverent sigh. “Shut up.” Then she pushed Mei, sending them both tumbling into her bed.
25
“Beautiful.” Sterling voiced what Elise was too shy to say about herself.
Her father was long gone, already having left for the gala, while her mother had gone to the theater. Elise had to act like she was perfectly fine staying home alone, insisting that Sterling was out working all night. Now she stood in front of the massive mirror in her bedroom and gaped at the dress crushing her body. It was a beautiful gown, she did love it. It was justso much. At first glance, it seemed like a perfectly reasonable dress; it was a pearlescent white with a skirt that hung down to her ankles. Layers of silk and split lace made up the skirt, weighing it down with each step she took. The sleeves were sheer with tiny rhinestone details, making her arms look shimmery under the light.
She glanced at Sterling in the mirror. “Dashing.” Her eyes roamed over the fitted black suit he wore. His hair was styled closely to his head, brown curls popping in all the right places. One curl hungover his forehead and when he smiled, a dimple creased in his cheek, making him the perfect poster of a charming, clean-cut gentleman.
Sterling knew he was a looker, but he never let it lead him astray. No matter how many beautiful girls told him how attractive he was, he remained focused on what was right in front of him, working on having the best footing in his job. For as long as Elise had known him, she had not known him to date. He took girls out here and there, but they never stuck around for more than a few nights. Thalia was the only person Elise had seen him so close to. And now she was gone.
“I always imagined you would take Thalia to a ball like this,” Elise said quietly.
Sterling’s smile waned and for a moment, Elise thought he would change the subject. But he shrugged and spoke up, “I always wanted to. But she was busy with her research. I miss her. So much.” He rubbed a hand over his forehead, groaning.
Part of Elise wanted to unpack those residual feelings. But he was already moving away from her. “Promise me you will come to me when you need to talk,” she said.
“If you think I’ll disappear again and wind up in some alley, you are mistaken. I am completely healed now,” Sterling said in a tightly amused voice.
Elise laughed. “Right.”
Sterling grinned, but she saw the inescapable sadness in his eyes, and she knew it would consume him if she continued to bring up the past. “Tonight, we don’t have to be ourselves. We can be the mostoutrageous socialites New York has ever seen,” Elise said.
The light sprung back into his eyes. Elise hoped it would stay for a while.
