Page 128 of Loving the Tormentor

Yeah, campus is a nightmare, and as much as I hate the North Shore, at least I'm not the one getting the deadly stareshere because Achilles is the one they hate. But he couldn't care less.

He's safe. That's what I keep telling myself. He's the kind of man who risks nothing.

"Nyx?"

"Yeah. Yeah, come. I just need to let Kay know."

I put the cup down, and Achilles doesn't miss the way I bite my tongue. He pulls a pack of bubblegum out of his pocket, drops a ball in his palm, and offers it to me. I don't even pretend not to be stressed out of my mind and shove it in my mouth.

He gives me a minute, lets me chew until the ache makes me feel better, and then he goes for it.

"What's so stressful about me meeting Kayla King?" he asks. "I've been to her house once before. When Wren was in trouble, Nathan White helped us. You were there that day."

My heart stops.

"You remember me there?"

"The cute girl with half-bleached, half-black hair, who couldn't string a sentence together when she tried to tell me she was a huge fan? Yeah. I remember."

"Achilles," I say pointedly.

"Well, I remembered as soon as Wren reminded me."

"You're really an asshole," I say through a laugh. "Don’t you love your fans?"

"No," he admits. "I love you."

The shovel that digs a deeper hole of guilt into my stomach every day just keeps on digging.

"I love you too," I say quietly.

"Then what's the big problem about me meeting people you consider your family?"

"Nothing." I smile. "Well, actually, I did mention to Kayla something about a guy who was horrible to me when I started atSFU. I didn't really say I was with him now, but I think she put two and two together."

His arrogant smile is a reassurance. Achilles knows what he's doing, always.

"I can take her anger."

"Ha. Don't be so sure."

"Lena was easy," he says proudly.

When I introduced him to Lena, she was cold at first, especially since she spent a lot of time reminding me Achilles was bad news. But she's got a kind heart, and she never stays mad at people. It’s when I told her that he put my dad in rehab that she let down the walls completely.

"Lena and I are a rare breed of good girl on the North Shore. Kayla…she's as tough as they come."

He takes my hand resting on the table, caressing my knuckles. "Bring it on."

We're standing in front of Nate and Kayla's door when Achilles asks, "Whose birthday is it again?"

I roll my eyes. "Kay's brother, Caden. I told you earlier."

"I know, but you were cold and not wearing a bra,mon trésor.I'm just a man."

I huff, but I weirdly like the moments when Achilles Duval acts like just another mortal. "Really fucking are just a man."

The door opens, and there stands Kay's husband, the notorious Nathan White. Mafia man, ruthless killer, and Kay's biggest worshipper. Which is not to be taken lightly, since the woman used to lead a gang. He's wearing a suit, as he always does. Simple dark gray today, which makes his midnight-blue eyes look a little darker.