Page 219 of The Villain We Tempt

I duck into my closet and tug one off a hanger. When I do, the bag that I lent to Wren ages ago andjustgot back tumbles off the top shelf and onto the floor.

…And something small and black falls out of the side pocket.

Oh, God.

My heart stops beating.

My skin grows cold.

My eyes harden as I stare atthe tracking device.

“I thought you said no more stalking.”

My voice feels like it’s coming from far away as it murmur from my frozen lips.

“No more cameras. No more trackers. No more hidden mics.”

Lochlan’s frowns and turns away from the window. “Yeah, baby, I’m not?—”

“What do you call this?”

I want him to deny it. I want him to doanythingto make me not feel what I can already feel surging up inside me.

But then I see the look on his face.

“Oh my God…” I breathe.

“Baby, it’s not?—”

“You need to leave.”

My voice is so soft it’s barely a whisper. But the second I say it, the whole world goes still.

Lochlan’s brows furrow. “Galina?—”

“I said you need to leave.”

He shakes his head. “Baby, that’s only there because?—”

“You need to LEAVE!” I hiss, my heart galloping in my chest as pain twists inside me.

“Galina,listen to?—”

Without a word, I turn and march out of my room into the bathroom. Then into Arianna’s room, heedless of my two friends still sleeping in her bed. I rummage through Lucia’s bag, grab what I need, then storm back into my room.

“Look at me, little villain,” Lochlan hisses. “Reallylookat me. I wasnot?—”

He stops talking real fast when I march over to him and jam the business end of the pepper spray in his face.

“I’m going to count to three,” I seethe. “And you’re going to leave, or else I’m going to empty this entire fucking can into your eyes!”

Lochlan doesn’t flinch, just slowly shakes his head. “I’m not leaving until I can show you I’m not?—”

“One.”

“I’m not leaving, Galina.”

“Two,” I snarl.