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“Am I wrong?” She held her ground, tipping her chin up at me, glowering back at me.

“Don’t think being around me for a handful of days makes you understand me at all. Comprehend what I’ve been through.”

“You act as if you’re the only one who has lost someone. Who has also suffered.” She spoke through clenched teeth. “You’re not!”

“Breaking up with your little boyfriend doesn’t count.”

Her skin flushed red, and for a second I thought I saw her eyes flash the same color, but it was gone so fast, I was sure I imagined it.

“You don’t know me or what I’ve been through either,” she seethed.

“You’re right. I don’t.” I stepped in closer, a breath from her face. “And I want to keep it that way.”

“Me too.”

“Good.” I took another beat, realizing how fucking close I was to her. The sounds of someone climaxing below us strained the air like static. “Try to stay out of trouble.” I whirled around, heading for the door.

“That’s rich coming from you.” I heard her yell as I slammed the door.

A scream caught in my throat, rumbling from me in a low growl as I trudged down the hallway, scouring my face with aggravation.

No one, and I meant no one, had ever aggravated me so easily. I had some pain in the ass friends, but nothing fazed me much. I let it roll off my shoulders, laughing because usually it was some other guy’s or girl’s problem. Like, I could enjoy Brex because deep down, her ability to get in sticky situations fell on Warwick.

Even Kek and Lucas never pissed me off. They were so easy to be around. Did I lose all my patience, or was it just her?

“Fuck.” I hissed, stomping down the stairs to the gambling room. What infuriated me even more was that I was doing exactly what she accused me of. Drowning my pain in drugs and sex.

Chapter 11

Ash

I laid my head on the back of the booth as the room hazed into a softer backdrop, the hum in my veins peeling off the weight I carried, the heart that laid dead and buried in my chest.

The chemical-to-magic ratio in the fairy dust was off, my body sensing the low-quality substance. The twitch in my brain from some synthetic compound was already making my pulse pound and my eyes dart around in paranoia.

Normally I wouldn’t care as long as it hushed my guilt, quieting the voices in my mind and filling up the hollowness in my heart. Except tonight, my vexation with the girl three floors above me still nipped and bit at the back of my head, not allowing me to fully relax. Enjoy what I had been craving for days.

“Go run and hide from your issues in drugs and sex. Seems to be your default.”

Her accusation bounced around in my brain and down into my gut like a pinball. It wasn’t the first time someone had said something like this to me. Warwick, Kitty, Scorpion, Brexley. They all pretty much told me the same thing, yet Scarlet’s disappointment felt even worse. And all I wanted to do was forget it all.

“Madam said you were seeking a specific sort of fun tonight?” a voice spoke, my eyes popping open when I hadn’t even realized they had closed.

My vision zeroed in on the girl from earlier, standing there with more lines to snort, now adorning a blue wig per my request. This color reminded me of mold.

Next to her was the male prostitute I saw giving a blowjob to the man eating.

I could feel the frown contorting my face, my irritation growing.

“Let Zahar and I help you relax,” the man purred, sliding over into the booth with me. “We can make you feel so good before we head upstairs for some real fun.” His hand ran up my leg and over my cock. I felt nothing as I watched him try to get me hard.

The girl, Zahar, meaning Sugar, slipped on the other side of me, pushing the tray of dust closer. It was the only thing that looked good to me.

Leaning over, I inhaled a line, hearing my zipper lower. Then a hand clasped around me, starting to work me. “Well, hello,bigboy.” The man’s eyes twinkled.

“Let me help.” The girl leaned over as he tugged out my dick, working my base as her mouth slid over the tip, sucking.

The room went even hazier as I watched them both work my semi-hard cock, feeling almost like I was no longer in my body, not able to get fully hard.