Page 59 of Trust the Fall

She continues to laugh like a deranged psych patient.

“What’s wrong, angel?” She sneers the moniker as an insult.

“Stop messing with me. I won’t allow you to put those thoughts into my mind.”

Her head tilts to the side. “Oh? Would you prefer these?”

A montage of River and me in various states of pleasure filters through me. A wave of tingles races across my body.

“Stop!” I yell, grabbing the sides of my head.

“Oh, darling … if you think I had to put those thoughts into your mind, you’re the only deranged one of the two of us. You want him all on your own.”

“Ugh,” I bellow, before tackling her to the ground.

She rolls out from under me, flipping me to my back and straddling my chest. “Do you really want to fight me, Victoria? Here, I hold all of the power.”

“You’re a concubine.” I bite the word. “You have no power. You’re simply a whore.”

She growls, raising her fist to strike me, but the blow never comes.

She’s ripped from atop me as Luke yells, “What is the meaning of this?”

The room is silent. Luke holds a squirming Lilith to his chest, while a bewildered River runs through the door, stopping as soon as he sees what’s happening.

“Let me go, Lucifer. I’m going to kill her,” Lilith screeches.

He pulls her further into his chest, squeezing. “Enough, Lil,” he whispers into her ear, and she settles back with a sigh.

The hair on the back of my neck stands on end at the intimate way he says her nickname and how she’s currently melting into him.

It’s too much. Especially after what we just shared.

I stand to my feet and stalk from the room, back into the hallway. I don’t get far before Luke is on my heels, calling out my name.

“Victoria. Stop.”

I stop but refuse to look at him. I’m too angry at the moment.

“What was that?” he asks, and I huff a humorless laugh.

I slowly turn to face him, cheeks heated in fury. At Lilith. At him.

“Why don’t you ask your whore, Satan?”

He flinches. I never call him that, and when I do, it’s always out of anger.

“I didn’t ask her. I’m asking you.”

I shake my head, not wanting to talk about it. The truth is, I question if what she said holds a bit of truth. Am I attracted to River?

As soon as I think it, I regret it, because it’s clear that Luke is reading my thoughts yet again. This is exactly the reason I’m paranoid. River is right, he has done a number on me. In many ways.

His features darken and his lips press into a harsh line. “I don’t need to know any more. You’ve said enough.”

“Luke, I⁠—”

His hand flies up. “No.”