Page 94 of Heartless Heathens

I could feel the drift grow wider between us.

“That kick was me telling you to quit while you were ahead, notpoke the bear even further,” Corvin murmured low enough to keep Felix from hearing him.

“I could have sworn that was the same kick you used last week when he told me I couldn’t have ice cream for lunch.” I rolled my eyes, not bothering to answer him as quietly as he’d initiated.

“You’re a fucking idiot, you tryin’ to get him to kill her?” Felix asked his brother, pulling all of our plates and rinsing them under the running water one by one. “And you, don’t push Sonny. Not on this, and maybe not on anything for a while. He’s… under a lot of stress.”

I didn’t miss the way the twin’s eyes met and the way they communicated silently as if I wasn’t even there, taking up space right next to them.

“You’re being rude.” I stood up from the stool.

Corvin cleared his throat.

“Arlan Black was rushed to the hospital early this week with a heart attack.” Felix explained, though I have a feeling it was meant for his brother and not me.

“Why are you talking about this?” Sonny reentered the room, glaring sharp knives at both Escuras like he wasn’t impressed with where the conversation had gone.

“You still don’t trust me, it’s why you won’t let me go to Frollo. That’s why you tell me nothing!” I called him out and his gaze turned something sinister towards me.

“And why areyouso brave right now?” He paused, biting his lip like he was stopping himself from using my nickname, like he wasn’t sure if I deserved it.

“I-I’m not.” I backed up a step when he closed the distance between us too fast, his neck bent as he looked down on me.

“Good. Because the worst thing you could do is try to pry the truth from Claüde Frollo’s wretched tongue.”

“You won’t even let me try?” I asked, both the brothers looking uncomfortable like they didn’t want to be in the room when I brought out the worst in Sonny again.

“You are the closest thing we have to proof of Frollo’s transgressions. He’s not a stupid man, if I let you go to him he will erase all traces of his wrong doings. I can’t take that chance.”

“So it’s not about keeping me safe,” I snorted out, crossing my arms over my chest. “It’s about keeping me alive so you can use me.”

He grabbed me by the shoulders, his lip peeling up from the anger that coursed feverishly through him. His hand squeezed tightly and he shook me.

“Listen here you stupid girl. Do not fuck this up for me. Stay away from Frollo. Don’t make me lock you in here.”

“Not much different from him then, are you?” I hissed, our noses practically touching. I ran past him, barging into Felix’s room for a place to hide.

It was a moot point. There was nowhere to hide from them here.

They were everywhere, surrounding me, suffocating me like a cloud of poison.

I buried my face into Felix’s pillow, the tears pouring out of me freely and soaking into the pillow that smelled so much like fire and cinnamon. It was his smell, it was woodsy and spicy all in one and somehow it was starting to smell like…

Home.

“You okay?” His husky voice lulled into my ear, and I felt his cold fingers gently tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.

The mattress sank with his weight behind me, but he didn’t crowd into my space.

“I’m tired of everyone else deciding how I get to live,” I said without turning to face him, doing my best to hide the tears.

“I bet,” he said, pulling his legs up onto the bed and scooching closer to me.

“But yet you tell me not to push him? You want me to be the same complacent thing he wants from me too.

“You’re wrong.” His voice darkened.

It was the kind of cold tone I rarely heard from him, and I instinctively turned to give him my attention.