Page 102 of Temptation
“I’m Skylar,” I mumbled. “This is Sebastian.” I pointed at him.
“It’s nice to meet you both.” She smiled. “Atlas, would you mind bringing me some water?” she asked him, while looking at me.
“Are you sure that’s safe?” he asked her, and I immediately wanted to laugh. I saw how she behaved with others. I heard what she said to Ash. If anyone would be in danger here, that would be me.
“I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to handle myself.” She laughed. “Maybe you’d like to take Sebastian with you as well. Would you like something to drink?” she asked me.
“Just water.”
“Perfect. Bring us two waters then.”
“Skylar,” Sebastian protested.
“Don’t worry about me.” I looked at him. “I’ll be fine.”
“I’m not sure that this is such a good idea.”
“Sebastian,” I groaned. “Just get me some water and stop being a pain in the ass. I already have Ash for that.”
He started laughing and some of the tension evaporated. “Fine.” He took a step back. “But you better be here when I get back.”
“As if I could go anywhere.”
We were quite literally in the middle of nowhere. Not really in Emercroft Lake, but not in Winworth either.
My phone pinged again just as Sebastian and Atlas started walking away, but I looked at Ophelia, seeing as she was already observing me.
“I like you,” she murmured. “You’re keeping them on their toes when most girls would just roll over and play dead so that somebody else could save them.”
“I don’t need them to save me. I need them alive. I can take care of myself.”
“I bet you can.” She walked toward the three chairs that were placed haphazardly in the corner and pulled one toward me. “Sit down, Skylar.”
I took the chair from her, and as she sat down on the other one she pulled for herself, I sat down as well, unable to take my eyes from her.
“You’re dangerous,” I blurted out, immediately wanting to slap myself. “I’m sorry. That was—”
“Honest.” She chuckled. “I am dangerous, but only if you give me a reason to be. Trust me, I’m a teddy bear compared to some of these other guys.”
“Why don’t I believe you?”
“Because you’re smart.”
“I don’t think so. I just think that I learned how to survive, and I know a monster when I see one. You don’t look like a monster.”
“You might be the only one to think so.” She exhaled and pulled out a packet of cigarettes, looking down at it. “Well, you and Atlas. And it’s only because you don’t really know me.”
“Nah. Real monsters hide who they really are. You don’t. I’m pretty sure that you could snap my neck in less than five seconds, but just because you can, doesn’t mean that you will.”
She looked at me, contemplating what I’d said. I didn’t only know monsters when I saw them, I knew what pain looked like, and hers was written all over her face.
“Was Nikolai Aster your father?” I asked out of the blue.
Her face hardened, and her hands shook as she pulled a cigarette out of the packet.
“How do you know that name?” She looked at me.
“Because I met him.” I took the cigarette from her hand and put it to my lips, pulling out the lighter from my back pocket.
