Page 51 of Serpentine Valentine
God, I couldn’t have been more her puppet unless she had her hand up my ass. Even as I thought that, I winced because I’d been crude, and Pallas women were not crude or crass or in any way undignified.
Well, fuck that.
I was done with it.
What was the point of being alive and healthy if I didn’t live for myself?
I worked with enough disadvantaged youths as a tutor at the local at-risk high schools, so I knew most people were not as lucky as I was. So why was I wasting it by acting on someone else’s wishes?
Especially when I was now faced with something I wanted more than anything else I could remember.
Not something, someone.
And then, not even a man as I’d always assumed I would want, but a woman.
And then not just any woman, but Lex.
Gray-eyed, bravehearted Lex with thick dark curls like coiled serpents and eyes like twin wounds.
It was a powerful revelation to have alone in a dark apartment that reeked of curry, but it lingered with me all through the game againstCornell, which we won handily in part because I was, as Haley said, in “beast mode.” Even after, when I dashed home to get showered and ready, I thought of Lex as I dressed in an oversized white men’s button-up shirt and belted it at my waist to make it into my version of a sexy dress. Heeled loafers, my signature frilly socks, an oversized blazer, and my strawberry-blond hair down around my shoulders in its usual unkempt mess, and I thought maybe Lex would have approved.
Not verbally, but with one of those heavy-lidded looks that made heat pool like melted wax in my belly.
Of course, I knew I wouldn’t see her at Flo’s party. She would never be invited, and even if she was, I couldn’t see cool, aloof but guarded Lex letting loose with friends.
But it still made me feel aroused and confident to dress for her.
If I was being honest, it was also the reason I drank more than I usually did, and completely lost my window to leave the party early and sober. By the time I realized I was too drunk, everything was playing out with a significant lag time. It was nearly midnight, and I was swaying on my feet. Pierce had left early with some girl, a wry grin on his lips when we’d caught eyes over her shoulder as he guided her out. I’d winked at him in blessing.
“You okay, girl?” Haley asked, appearing as if I’d conjured her. “You look toasted.”
“I am.” A burp burst from my lips, startling both of us. Haley laughed, but I covered my mouth in embarrassment. “Ugh, I am so gross right now.”
“You want some water?”
“Please. I’m going to hit one of the empty bedrooms and lie down for a second. The room is spinning.”
Haley squeezed my shoulder, then tugged on the ends of my hair. “Okay, Lunatic, I’ll come find you in a minute.” When I burped again, shelaughed and added, “And maybe I’ll bring a bowl.”
I staggered through the house past a couple making out on the stairs up to the second floor, where things were dark and quiet. Flo’s bedroom was at the back of the house, and I shut the door behind me. Before I could rethink the impulse, I flopped on the bed and pulled out my phone from my little tweed purse.
“Hello?”
I closed my eyes to relish that husky voice and also because the room was spinning so madly, I thought I might puke.
“Lex?” I knew it was her not just from the sound of her distinct voice but also by the way it made me feel. Like I was both anchored and floating away, a balloon at the end of a strong string tethered to her hand.
“Luna, where are you?” Her voice was sharp with panic.
Panic for me.
Even though my world was twirling and I felt more ill by the second, something inside me that had been planted that evening in the library grew roots and sprouted.
“I-I’m at Flora’s house––”
“Are you safe?” she cut in.
“I don’t feel so good,” I admitted. Chewing on my bottom lip, I let myself take a risk. “Could you maybe come get me?”
