Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“You are so bossy, you know that?” I loudly complain as I thank the realtor and then follow Arlo out.
We walk down the street together until we find the nearest coffee shop and go inside.
“Green tea?” he asks, and I nod.
As he goes to order, I sit and place my bag on the empty table. After he’s placed our order, he comes to the table, pulls out a chair, and sits. “Have you been doing the exercises I gave you?”
“Yes,” I say with an eye roll.
“Affirmations help more than you think. And you spoke to your Aunt, so that’s a starting point.”
“Do you really think I can be fixed?” I ask hopefully.
Our drinks are delivered, and I thank the lady as she walks off.
“Do you want to be fixed or just help manage your addictions?”
“Addictions?” I ask.
“I’ve been helping you, but I don’t think you want them to fully go away, Lilith. Just like your father, you are addicted to it.”
“I’m not. I haven’t even—”
“How do you put yourself to sleep, Lilith?”
I bite the inside of my cheek.
He leans in and drops his voice to a whisper. “You dream of that night, the one you held that knife in your hand, don’t you?”
“I—”
“You do. Who else do you wish you could put that knife in?”
I sit back and think about what he said. He stares at me, always assessing my every move. Arlo is good at reading and understanding all my quirks.
“You haven’t asked me about him,” I say, changing the subject.
“I was waiting for you to bring him up. Do you want to talk about Reon?”
“So, you do know.”
“I know,” he says, waiting for me to tell him about Reon.
“I spent two nights with him. Two. And they were probably the best nights of my life, mixed with the ending of my marriage. Honestly, when I look back, I was a little crazy. I got obsessed with him, so much so that I stole an identity to just stalk him.” I shrug my shoulders like it’s no big deal.
“We’re allowed to be a little bit crazy for love.”
“I don’t love him.” I scoff as I pick at my nail polish. “I don’t think I’ve ever truly loved anyone.”
“You were fixated on him,” he points out.
“I was.”
“Does it help that he’s the same?”
“He’s with someone else now, so it doesn’t matter.”
“How do you know he’s still with Maya?” Busted.
“I’ve seen them,” I lie.
“You have?” His brow raises.
“It was by accident. You were with them, too.”
“I was?”
“Yes, and you had a redhead with you. You were at a restaurant.”
“That was my restaurant,” he says.
“You own a restaurant?”
“Yes, and don’t change the subject. How did you see us? You don’t live on that side of town.”
I huff out a breath. He’s always calling me out. “Why do you ask so many questions?” I say, shaking my head. “Aren’t we meant to be sitting in your office, talking about my feelings, and you giving me advice?”
“We don’t do normal therapy with you.”
“Fine,” I say on a huff. “I was drunk, and I almost walked in. But she saw me and came out.”
“Maya did?”
“Yes, Maya,” I say her name with distaste.
“And what did my sweet Maya have to say to you?” he asks, smirking.
“Sweet? She is anything but sweet.”
“Really?”
“She was pissed. She obviously saw me the minute I saw her. And out she came, walked straight up to me, put her long, delicate finger on my chest, and said, and I quote, ‘If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay away from him. He’s mine.’”
“And what did you say, Lilith?”
I cross my legs as I look at him. “Who said I said anything?”
“You wouldn’t have been able to help yourself.”
“You don’t know that.” I cross my arms over my chest.
“Yes, I do. Your weaknesses are there if you look close enough. And yours are all about Reon. And to be frank, his are all about you. He won’t touch Maya because of you. To be honest, it’s causing a lot of issues. When Soren finds issues, he has the power to remove them.”
“Reon would let him?”
He laughs, and it’s dry, humorless.
“Technically, Reon is just as powerful as Soren, maybe even more so. However, Reon is a part of the Society, and some rules come with membership. One of them is to not disobey the Lord.”
“Do you obey the Lord?” I ask.
“Yes, as far as he knows.” And I hear the underlying truth: what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.
“Sounds like the Society is having issues.”
“It always is,” Arlo says, standing. “Come, let’s walk.” I get up and follow him out. “What did you say to her?”
“I told her to suck my dick and that I will suck whoever’s dick I want. Can’t say it was my finest choice of words, but I was intoxicated.”