“He didn’t tell me about you. I don’t really know much. I won’t tell anyone.” She was rambling. I turned back, then leaning against the wall, I shoved my hands in my pockets.
“Did he do that?” She pointed to my eye. I rolled my eyes, noting that the pain was getting better.
“Why would you think that?”
She looked down at the floor quickly. Her cheeks had color in them.
She remembered too.
“I didn’t tell him.” Her voice came out in a whisper.
I swallowed. “I didn’t either.”
She looked up then in surprise. “Then why did he hit you?”
I laughed coldly. “I don’t know, maybe because I bit off a large chunk of his shoulder last night? That shit doesn’t heal easily. He’s gonna be sore for days.”
“He was going to kill you.” She crossed her arms and her eyebrows furrowed. “I told you he doesn’t play fair.”
“It was a bad idea, to begin with. There’s a reason we don’t hang out anymore. Look, I think you should leave. Go back to not knowing shit. It’s for the better.”
“Why? I already said I’m not going to tell anyone.” She puffed out her lower lip, and I had to look away. She was too hot for her own good.
“It doesn’t matter. There’s a reason no one knows who we actually are.” I kicked off the wall and went to the door. I opened it and stepped back. “Go draw something—I don’t know—we didn’t have this conversation.” I pointed at her. The last thing I needed was Arsenio even more pissed at me.
She steeled her eyes and glared at me. “If you kick me out without answers, then I’ll tell him you kissed me.”
I licked my lips and, without missing a beat, replied, “If you don’t get the fuck out, then I’ll tell him you kissed me back.”
Stalemate.
I watched her swallow. Who did she think she was? Threatening me.
She let out a huff and stormed out. I slammed the door behind her. I debated calling Arsenio and telling himgood job for fucking shit up by falling in love. We had very few rules, and not revealing who we were was the big one.
Instead, I sat at my desk and pulled out my cards. I needed to focus on Elvie.
Ludovica, where are you?
I chose to do a simple three-card spread. Desire, obstacle, solution.
Shuffling, placing, and then turning them over revealedKing of Cups, Two of Cups,and theKing of Wands.
I studied the cards for hours. I stared at the worn pictures, trying to pull what I could from them. I had the meanings of all the cards memorized, but that meant little if you couldn’t figure out how they pertained to you.
I looked up from my desk as the lock on my door began to jingle. I sighed as it opened, and Scout returned.
“I can’t. I need answers. It doesn’t make sense.”
“Well, hello to you too, Scout. Please, come in, take a seat,” I muttered. I motioned around the room. She looked around and found no chair other than the one I was sitting in.
“You’re doing the cards again? What for?” She crept over and tried to reach for one. I swatted her hand away and scooped the cards up, shoving them back in my pocket.
“Don’t worry about it. Why are you in here?” I leaned back and tapped my fingers on the arms of my chair.
“Arsenio being involved with The Seven Sins makes sense. He’s huge, mean when he wants to be, and powerful.”
I chuckled. I leaned forward and snatched a red candy out and popped it in my mouth. I sucked it for a minute, then flashed it at her as I cocked my head. “And I don’t make sense?”
