I watched her sweep away from me, loathing the idea of it. I acted on my impulse and held her wrist instinctively. I contained myself to not hurt her, keeping the need to knock down Junior in check.
“Two minutes,” I said, my voice deadly.
I released her. I had no desire to leave Lily alone with Carmin Jr. People were watching, and I was on the verge of unleashing my wrath on anyone. She transformed me into a possessive, primal monster.
I ignored the spike of jealousy suffusing my veins for my own well-being. I had to test her. I had to see what she’d do on her own.
I ambled toward the stairs slowly, keeping an eye on them. Junior was incredibly loud for someone who wanted to have a quiet talk. “What are you doing with him? Your uncle called me,” I heard. “You’re being careless. You don’t know what he’s capable of.” His voice was agitated.
A mocking sneer appeared on my face. He was afraid. I couldn’t understand what Lily said, but she shook her head sideways and headed back in my direction. Junior played with my patience, grabbing her arm forcefully.
I immediately descended a few steps, ready to teach him a lesson. It wasn’t like me to act carelessly. I plotted meticulous plans. That was how I built an empire. No one and nothing could get to me. Coldhearted with no feelings and nothing to lose, I was untouchable.
Thankfully for both of us, Lily had gotten away from him before I could reach him. She blocked the way, holding my stare with her shimmering golden eyes.
“I’m ready.” She gripped my arm, then shot a last glance at this prick. “Have a great evening, Adonis.”
Junior’s mouth opened. I cracked my knuckles. He shut it. If a single sound was to evaporate from his mouth, it would be fatal to him. I ignored the flames of hell invading me and walked back through the stairs alongside Lily.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured after some time.
“What did he want?” I knew the answer to that.You.
“Warned me to stay away from you.”
I was surprised by her blunt honesty, but then again, we’d had a discussion about how much I hated liars.
“Adonis is a good guy—don’t cause him trouble. He’s just worried,” she defended him.
When we reached the top floor, the valet bowed and opened the door leading to our private box to watch the spectacle. Between our two red seats on our balcony, champagne was served with aperitifs whose colors and flavors were meant to impress the guests with all kinds of caviar to golden cupcakes.
“Maybe he’s right,” I added. “Maybe you should stay away.”
“I don’t believe him.” She locked her eyes with mine. “I don’t believe you’re like everyone says you are.”
Lava flowed inside my core, trying to pass through the impenetrable iron gates of my missing heart. I ignored the jolt of red-hot heat licking through me, unbuttoning my jacket. Lily took her seat gracefully as I sat reluctantly next to her. My frustration erupted harder, knowing it was just the beginning of three long hours.
The light dimmed, and I swept the crowd with a glance. From the grandstands, their curiosity wasn’t satiated. They peeked heavenward to us like a court watched its royal monarch. In another box further away, the Carmins were taking their places, and I secretly hoped I could crush all of them to dust at this precise moment. Melissa joined them, squinting her eyes in my direction.
If I were into dramatic gestures, I’d have rolled my eyes with annoyance. Maintaining a poker face, I focused my attention on my flower goddess. She was looking nowhere, sitting on the edge, her back straight as if resisting the sensation of collapsing in her seat. Her fingers rubbed nervously against each other.
I could sense the words of Carmin Jr. had gotten to her, but nevertheless, she was staying true to her hopeful self. Maybe she finally realized that trust was the most hurtful thing she could inflict on herself. It was a weapon you willingly offered. A destructive weakness. I wondered why she would offer me hers on a silver platter—I wasn’t one to be trusted.
“I’m not,” I finally replied. A knot tightened in my jaw under her stare creeping through me. My teeth clenched. “I’m worse.”
“I—” she started before pressing her lips together, holding back her words. Soft golden lights licked the side of her face. “Isn’t it weird, then, that… I don’t want to stay away.”
My pupils dilated, and my muscles went rigid as she exhaled the breath she was holding.
The lights switched off.Orphée et Eurydicewas about to begin. The tense-sounding chords of the opera left room for the high head voice of the soprano as the violins raged. In the midst of all this tension, the ocean of lava boiling inside me screamed its own destructive opera.
I don’t want to stay away.
Through the first act, that sentence resonated in my mind.
In the second act, “The Dance of the Furies” was a depiction of my thirsty demons.
In the third act, I couldn’t focus nor find the beauty in this piece.
