God of Malice (Legacy of Gods #1)(98)

“Thanks.” I can’t help the smile that breaks on my lips.

It’s the first time someone has told me that, aside from my mum. She tried to dull my insecurities early on, but she’s my mother. She’s inclined to treat her children the same, but I think, deep down, she loves Bran the most and she definitely thinks Landon is an artistic genius that even surpasses her.

Something she’s proud of.

Stuart and I head to the cafeteria to pour caffeine into our systems, but we’re stopped in the hall by a very familiar, very blonde, very colorful, à la Harley Quinn style, girl.

Cherry pops bubble gum in my face, watching me like I’m nothing more than the dirt on her shoe.

She’s been roaming around the restaurants and parks I go to lately, probably keeping an eye on me or something.

This is the first time she’s gotten close, and to say I’m not comfortable in her presence would be an understatement.

“Do you need something?” I ask in my neutral tone.

I’ve been in a good mood all morning and she ruined it in a fraction of a second.

“Shoo, nerd,” she dismisses Stuart. “The grown-ups need to talk.”

“Maybe you’re the one who needs to shoo until you grow some manners,” I tell her.

“It’s okay… I’ll be in the cafeteria.” Stuart basically flees the scene, leaving me alone with Cherry.

As in, the girl Killian fucked for a long time and who obviously liked it enough to come back for more.

No. I’m simply not going to think about that detail.

“Ugh, the more I look at you, the surer I am that you’re more boring than your country’s weather, you lack personality, and you’re probably as prude as a nun. What the fuck does Killer see in you?”

“Obviously what he doesn’t see in you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have better things to do than indulge in petty boy drama. This is not secondary school, last I checked.”

“Listen here, you little snobbish bitch.” She gets in my face, her voice hardening. “You think you’re special? Think you’re the only one Killer has made feel like a queen before he tossed them aside like a used condom? Been there, done that, have the fucking marks to prove it. So gloat while you can, because he’ll be done with you soon, and when that happens, he’ll come back to my bed, because he knows that’s where he belongs. With someone like me, not a stupid fucking neurotypical bitch like you.”

I can feel the blood rushing to my face, but I force myself to remain calm, because I know that’s what will get on her nerves the most. “Are you done?”

“No,” she snarls. “If you don’t stay away from him, you’ll get yourself killed. Consider that the first and only warning I’ll ever give you.”

“Let me guess, you’ll kill me?”

“No, he will. Did you know that Killer has been repressing his bloodlust and murder instinct since he was in his early teens? Of course you didn’t, because you’re fucking normal. You don’t relate to his true self, so in order to placate your stupid-ass little morals, he’ll keep on repressing and repressing, and fucking repressing. And do you know who the first victims of serial killers usually are? Their lovers, wives, and mothers, as in, the people who made them repress in the first place. Last I checked, that’s you.”

Her words drill a hole in my chest and it takes me more effort than needed to breathe properly and even more to talk. “Last I checked, I don’t believe your words.”

“Go ahead and ask him then.” Her voice turns sinister. “Why do you think his favorite color is red? It’s the color of blood.”

I swallow and she laughs like a maniac. “What a scaredy-cat. You have the chance to walk away. Take it.”

“He won’t let me,” I say without meaning to.

“Hurt him by choosing someone else and he won’t touch you again.” She taps my temple. “Use your head and admit that you’re a good girl who’s not fit for him. He needs someone bad to the core to match his energy.”

Her words keep playing in my head on a loop long after she’s gone. I mull them over during classes, during lunch—that Killian sent me with Annika because he has classes—in the afternoon while I’m trying to concentrate in the studio.

Even when I FaceTime Grandpa and my parents. I totally had to cut those short, because they’d definitely know there’s something wrong with me.

Once I finish, I go on a drive and somehow end up in front of his house.

I let my head fall on the steering wheel as I breathe harshly. What the hell am I doing?

We were supposed to meet later for dinner, but I came two hours early.

I’m never early. In fact, I make sure to come late, just to get on his nerves. It’s my rebellion against the dictator.

Though I don’t come so late that he decides to be the one to pick me up, because that definitely means he’ll fuck me in the car first.

I consider leaving for now, but the gate opens. Apparently, I have automatic access to the mansion now along with the four founding members and the fifth one I’ve never met.

Once I reach the inside, I hear a commotion coming from the pool.

I head that way, and sure enough, Nikolai attempts to push Gareth into the pool and Jeremy is trying to mediate so he doesn’t drown him.