Fighting Darius

The hot shower soothes the aches in my muscles a bit after that rigorous training that I had this afternoon.

I don’t feel like going out, but I’m not willing to stay and spend my evening making nice with Darius and his mate either. My heart still hurts when I think of them together.

I texted Lily earlier to let her know that I’m going to the party.

She texted me back to remind me that tonight’s theme is

“cowboys and cowgirls” and to pick her up at the dorm and maybe have dinner together before we go to the party.

Amanda and Keisha left earlier with a whole bunch of girls to town and they’re going straight to the party from one of the other girl’s place.

Caspian said they’re arriving close to midnight, so I have plenty of time. I know I’m running away like a chicken that I am, but I’m not yet ready to face Darius. Maybe one day I will…when I no longer feel like castrating him on sight. In another word, NEVER.

I rummage my closet for something suitable to wear to a

“cowboys and cowgirls” theme party….and found my one and only pair of cowboy boots. I decided to pair them with a backless, short white cotton sundress that ends a few inches above my knees. It’s perfect for a warm California night. I wouldn’t look out of place if we decided to go party hopping later on either.

I just put a bit of makeup on and leave my hair down to its natural wave. Too bad I don’t own a Stetson.

By the time I’m done and ready to go downstairs, I hear voices talking in the front foyer. Juno stirs. Oh, no…are they here already? They can’t be. Caspian said mid-night! Their scent hit my nose and I smell him. I recognize his addictive scent anywhere. My heart starts hammering in my chest. There’s also another smell that I’m not familiar with. Damn Caspian!

I hear an unfamiliar female voice talking to my friends. Their voices are muffled and I can’t really make out what they’re saying, but I recognize their voices. I hear Serena, Genesis, then Constantine…then there’s a lull in the conversation. Then I hear Caspian, that unfamiliar female voice laughing, then…him. That causes me to take a sharp intake of breath.

Just listening to his voice transports me back to where I was before. It messes with my head.

In my head, he was mine. I hated all the women that got anywhere near him. Jealousy is a painful emotion that tore me apart. Three years I endured it. I fought hard. I’m so tired now.

I can’t do it anymore. That last one was the most painful. My heart still burns and cracks painfully over and over again every time that image of him and Polina in bed together flashes across my mind. After it happened, I wanted to crawl

somewhere and die. At times…I still do.

I was angry with myself for being stupid. I turned that anger towards him. I want so badly to hate him. I’m not ready, though. I’m still convincing myself that I hate him. Why does he have to be here? Why can’t he just go somewhere else?

Preferably to hell.

No, I’m not ready to face him yet. There are so many emotions raging inside of me. I’m anxious, nervous, excited, sad, pissed off. I’m mainly pissed off. So pissed off that I feel like sucker punch somebody in the face. Kick somebody in the nuts. Shove a baseball bat up somebody’s æss.

I have so many violent thoughts in my head. Clearly, the vicious fight I had with the tree stump today wasn’t enough to cool my anger.

I frantically look around my bedroom. I intend to borrow one of Caspian’s car tonight. Maybe I could jump out of my window, then sneak back in to get the car key. If they caught me I’d die of embarrassment. Darius would know how much I’m still affected by his presence. I groan to myself. That would be super embarrassing! I have to save what little pride I have left.

Nope, there’s only one way to do this. I have to see him again sooner or later anyway. So, why not treat it like removing a band-aid? Swiftly and painfully. This is going to suck. Big time.

I square my shoulders and hold my head up and walk right out before I lose my courage…and my temper.

They are all in the living room and I can hear the conversation come to a stop as soon as I’m on the last few steps of the staircase.

I take a deep breath and walk into the living room with my head up high and a swing to my hips as if everything is normal.

I can feel his intense eyes on me as soon as I enter the room. I can feel his heated gaze on my face before it travels all over my body like a warm caress. It stops briefly over my breasts and lingers on the exposed length of my legs. It takes my breath away. It sends familiar thrill all over my body. He was looking at me like I was his. I can feel him willing me to look at him.

It’s ridiculous how much connection we still have with each other.

I’m turned on like a live wire, yet a thick sense of betrayal is almost choking me. I’m turned on. I’m pissed off. I’m so confused.

I purposely avoid my eyes from looking at him. The longer I stay in here, the harder for me to control myself. I want to kiss him. I want to kill him. I’ve got to get out of here.

“Caspian, may I borrow your Eclipse Spyder for tonight?” I realize that I’m gritting my teeth. My nail is biting into the skin of my palm, almost drawing blood.

“Go ahead. Take it. You’ve been driving it more than I do, it’s practically yours anyway,” he says with a smirk. I can’t even think of a single sassy return for that. I’ve been borrowing that car often because it’s the least expensive car that he owns.

“Penny, this is Eva. She and Darius just arrived,” he continues casually, with a big grin. “Eva, meet Penny. She’s going out to one of those frat parties again.”

Really, Caspian? I almost roll my eyes.

“Hey, nice to meet you,” I force a smile at a beautiful lycan woman who is sitting next to Darius. She looks like a Viking with her blond hair and blue eyes. She’s almost as tall as the men.

Where is Polina? Is he cheating on her already? I wonder if this is another one of his spoiled rich lycan women that he always brought along as his shield against me. If she is, he really shouldn’t have bothered. I wouldn’t be bothering him anymore.

This woman doesn’t look like that type, though. It doesn’t mean that they’re not together, but she looks more like a warrior.

“Hi, Penny,” she smiles, her eyes are full of curiosity. “Well, it beats staying home on a Friday night, right?” Her smile seems genuine.

“Yeah….” I answer awkwardly. I’m keeping my eyes away from the man beside her.

“Hello Persephone,” he says, sounding somewhat angry.

“Well, hope you have a nice visit here,” I wave my hand, encompassing them both though I just glance quickly at Darius, looking somewhere above his shoulder. I know I seem rude and childish to ignore him, but the sight of him makes it hard for me to breathe. I need to get out.

“Aren’t you going to have late dinner with us? Anya cooked up a storm this evening,” asks Caspian. There’s a wicked glint in his eyes. I know that look. He’s looking for ways to cause trouble. No, thanks. Not tonight.

I glance quickly at Genesis who looks like she’s holding herself from saying something.

“Nope, I’m having dinner somewhere else tonight,” I turn on my heel, desperate to get out.

“Aaahh….you’re going on a date?” Caspian’s having too much fun. I could kick him in the nuts. That feeling is not new or surprising. Caspian can bring that fuzzy feeling out of a nun.

“Know what? I think I might like to borrow your Porche tonight.” I give him a challenging look.

“Sure!” he smiles as if it’s no big deal. Well, that’s a disappointing reaction. “So it is a big date.”

“Mind your own business!” I yell as I flip him off over my shoulder. “Thanks for the car. You might never see it again!” I can hear him chuckling as I grab the car key and head outside.

It would serve him right if I wrap his fancy car around a tree or a traffic light pole tonight.

“Whoah! Is this your car?” Lily’s eyes are like saucers as she takes in Caspian’s shiny red Porsche. She just walked out of her building wearing a short jean skirt, a brown long-sleeved cowboy shirt with tassels, and a pair of cowboy boots. Her light brown hair is braided into two pigtails.

“Nope,” I answer, watching her sliding into the passenger seat.

“Where’d you get that shirt?”

“I borrowed the shirt and the boots from my roommate Tessa.”

She raises her foot up to show me the boots.

“Wow!” Her eyes are shining brightly as she sinks into the comfortable leather seat. “Does this car belong to your gorgeous boyfriend from this afternoon?”

I close my eyes and move my body to the loud music, trying to ignore the smell of cheap beer and sweat and some other nasty stuff I dare not name or think about. The floor feels sticky under my boots. Once in a while, I tip my head back and down the liquid courage in a bottle. Stupid lycan. He should stay away from me and out of my head.

Lily and I came after we had burger and fries at Mom and Pops Burger. She kept asking about Caspian, and I kept telling her that he’s just a friend. She’s not at all convinced.

Daniel was quite determined to give me a good time at the beginning but had since moved on to more willing girls when I kept him at arm’s length.

We saw Amanda and Keisha briefly not long after that.

Amanda was being nosy by asking me why didn’t I bring my

“boyfriend” to the party. When she was sure that Caspian wasn’t there, she went looking for Daniel.

What’s with girls’ obsession with Caspian? He’s just a big troublemaker. He’s like an annoying brother I never wanted.

Well, actually I do love that asshole lycan…bullsh*t and all. I just can’t imagine having him as a mate. He’s more like an annoying brother that I can’t get rid of.

Lily was dancing beside me a while ago, now I can’t see her anywhere. I’ll look for her soon. I just need to forget. I’ve been drinking like a fish tonight. Wait. Does that make sense? Sure it does. Fish drinks.

I feel warm hands touching my hips and open my eyes. A pair of dark brown eyes is staring back at me. I’m tipsy but I can still tell that he’s a werewolf. I’ve only seen a handful of werewolves around campus so far. His eyes look hard and penetrating. Buzzed cut dark brown hair, a nice tall body with tattoos. One ear is pierced and he has a lip ring. Lip ring! I’d like to feel that lip ring between my teeth, and on my tongue.

Yummy lip ring.

He gives out dangerous vibes and looks intimidating, but I don’t feel scared or threatened…or maybe I’m too drunk to be sensible.

“Hey, where have you been, yummy lip ring? I sway towards him. I think I’m slurring a bit. “Where have you been all my life?”

“Yummy lip ring, huh?” he asks, raising an eyebrow. His eyes still look hard, but now he also looks surprised. “I’ve been watching you. You’re trying too hard to get drunk. Why?”

“Shhhh….don’t tell anybody,” I put a finger to his lips, then I pull him closer as if I was about to tell him a big secret. “I wanna get laid!” I inform him quietly…or did I yell that out loud?

“Come on!” I pull him by his arm. He’s looking puzzled, but he’s not resisting. I found an empty corner and push him against it. He looks tough and formidable, but there’s a reluctant amusement in his eyes now.

I pull the front of his shirt and says, “Now kiss me!”

“Wow! You’re bossy. That’s….strangely hot,” one of his eyebrow rises, but he makes no attempt to kiss me.

Why do I find myself a talker and not a doer? I growl, pull his head down and plant my lips on his. He doesn’t return my kiss right away. Once I lick the seam of his lips and slip my tongue into his mouth, he starts responding. He tastes like cheap beer and coke. I have the yummy lip ring between my teeth. I suck on it, I love the feeling of warm metal on my tongue. His hands roam all over me. He tries to take over, to dominate the kiss, but I push him back against the wall and kiss him hard. He chuckles against my mouth and pulls me closer.

He’s a good kisser, but he’s no Darius. Dammit!!! Why????

Why am I thinking about him now? I think I’m sobering up.

I push Mr. Yummy lip ring off of me. His eyes darken with lust and he’s looking dazed and flushed. He frowns and says, “I thought you wanted to get laid.”

“I need more drinks.”

“You’re giving me a bad case of blue balls, dollface, but if you need to get drunk before you sleep with me, then I’m not playing. I don’t sleep with drunk girls.”

“You’re so noble. Suit yourself.” I land a quick kiss on his lips once and stagger into the crowd. Yummy lip ring.

So, he’s going to find himself a girl who’s not drunk to f*ck tonight. Good luck with that. Whoah! Talking to myself. Time to get sober or get more drinks.

I eye the rust colored liquid in the red cup warily. Jay, Daniel’s friend who’s in charge of the drinks assured me that it’s a “good shit”. I give it a sniff and dump it on a table by the staircase to the basement. The dubious liquid sloshes everywhere.

“Hey, baby…I’m hot, you’re hot. Now let’s go fuck.” Two big hands grab my waist and a mouth lands on my neck. What???

This one’s a slobber. Eeeww…he’s a slobber, drunk, and he reeks…not to mention, lame ass pick up line. I push him off of me and wipe his drool off my neck.

“That’s a sucky pick up line. don’t ever use it again!” I advise him and decide that I’ve had enough for tonight.

“Awww…c’mon, baby you know you wanna..” he tries to reach out for me again, but I easily evade his outstretched arm.

A blast of cool fresh air on my face is all I need to sober up almost completely. I walk down the front steps of the house and fish out my phone from inside my bra.

The front of the house is brightly lit. The temperature has cooled somewhat.

There’s a couple heavily making out at the bottom of the step, a guy passed out in the yard, and a girl throwing up in a flowerbed…or a weed bed. At least she has a friend holding her hair back. Her friend doesn’t look too steady on her feet either.

I see a text Lily sent me over half an hour ago telling me that she couldn’t find me and that she’s found herself a ride.

If I were a human I’d probably be upset because I don’t think she was looking hard enough, but I’m a werewolf. I’m not worried about being by myself in a houseful of drunk strangers.

I can take on any human boys all by myself and I’m smart enough not to get drugged. It’s hard for me to even get drunk.

I wander around for a bit to make sure that I’ve got all the alcohol out of my system before I get behind the wheel. I don’t see Daniel or Mr. Yummy lip ring anywhere. They’re probably with more amiable girls. Why am I so picky?

The house is quite dark when I got back. They always leave the light by the staircase on. The glow of lights from the swimming pool also keeps the house from being in total darkness.

Everything is quiet except for the low hum of the fridge in the kitchen and the filter pump from the swimming pools. I could

hear the sound of the waves crashing the shore from afar. I pull off my cowboy boots and try to walk as quietly as I can across the tile floor. I almost make it to the staircase when a deep voice stops me. It almost gives me a heart attack.

“Persephone.” A tall figure rises gracefully like a shadow in a dim light from a chair in the great room. Darius.

Chapter 8 – Of Unicorns, Pet Dragons, And Cows

“What are you doing? Are you trying to kill me by scaring me to death???” I place both hands on my chest.

My heart is hammering against my ribcage. It doesn’t help that he is looking hot as hell. In the dim light, he’s all smooth skin and sharply contoured angles. His hair fair is in disarray as if he’d been running his hand through it so many times. His cotton pajama bottom is resting low over his hips. His white t-shirt fits snuggly like a second skin to his amazing sculptured body. My heart squeezes in my chest almost painfully. Stupid lycan. Stupid sexy lycan.

“Persephone,” he breathes, ignoring my theatrics. “I think we should talk.”

I don’t miss how his eyes are staring at my face, then raking my figure with longing and hunger. They linger on my bare legs before they go up again. My skin tingles. It almost feels like a physical caress. Damn him!

“No, I don’t think we do,” I reply quickly, pushing the shivers of pleasure down. “Where’s your mate?” I could’ve kicked myself.

Why did I ask him that? No way he missed the jealousy in my voice. Stupid Penny. “Nevermind. That’s none of my business.”

He’s looking at me strangely. “It’s not?” his eyes are suddenly intense on my face, studying me…looking for something.

“Of course it’s not. Not my concern. You can do whatever you want. You can mate with whoever you want. It has nothing to do with me.”

“It has nothing to do with you..” he’s repeating my words. He’s looking angry for some reason.

Already the air between us is crackling with awareness and tension. Me and him, alone in the dark is not a good idea.

He studies me quietly for a few more seconds before he takes a deep breath as if trying to calm himself. He runs his hand through his glossy pale blond hair, making it even more tousled than before. That only makes him look even hotter. It’s not fair.

I want to run my hand through that hair. I want to feel its silkiness between my fingers. My heart can’t take any more of this.

“I’m going to bed. Good night.” I need to get out of here, away from temptation.

“Persephone, wait! That night, we didn’t…I didn’t…”

“I don’t care!” I do, but I don’t want to talk about it. The image of their writhing bodies is still fresh in my mind.

He moves forward and I move back and suddenly he takes a sharp breath. I know he catches a strong smell of me in the still air. His nostrils flare. Pain and jealousy flash in his eyes before they darken into two black orbs.

I didn’t even see him move. He just appears. He was fifteen feet away then suddenly he’s in my personal space, staring down at me.

“Are you doing this to torture me now?” he asks through gritted teeth. I know he can smell other males on me, especially Mr.

Yummy lip ring, the slobber awful pickup line guy and some other guys who ground on me on the dance floor earlier.

“Doing what? It’s not always about you, you know.” I snap instead, turning on my heel to leave.

“By being with other men tonight. How close did you let them get to you? How far did you let them touch you?” He’s

following me. He’s not giving me a chance to put much-needed space between us. “You’re not sleeping with some random guys just to get back at me.”

How dare him! For a second I consider hitting him. He brought out this violent side of me. He’s also a lycan. So much stronger than I am.

I turn to face him again with a challenging look. His eyes are now back to pale blue, but I know he’s still angry. It’s there in his eyes and the stiffness of his jaw and body. Oh, I am so going to lose my v card before the week is over. A steely look comes across his face as if he knows what I’m thinking.

We stand there locked in a staring contest. My eyes are full of challenge and rebellion while his filled with jealousy and steely determination. His wonderful scent fills my lungs. My senses are filled with him. This is why I should stay away from him.

My heart is racing faster in my chest. I feel more alive now than I had been for months.

“You’re not going to do it,” he growls out, moving closer.

I just keep glaring up at him. My eyes are defying him, but I can’t deny the strong magnetic pull anchoring us together.

Powerfully drawing us into each other.

My heart aches at how beautiful he is. His beautifully sculptured lips, they were once on mine. Why am I staring at his lips? I lift my eyes up and notice that his glacier pale blue eyes are staring intently at my lips.

“I swear you’re not going to do it,” he says it like a vow. His breath tantalizingly warm on my lips. He’s leaning in like he can’t help himself.

My breath caught and my heart flutters like the wings of a bird trapped in a cage.

“Do what?” I challenge him. “How are you going to stop me?”

My voice sounds breathy and cracks at the end.

“I know you more than you know yourself, Persephone.” His voice sounds low and husky. His lips hover just a breath away from mine. I could feel the warmth of his body and smell his wonderful addictive scent. Our chest almost touching.

Delicious chills run down my spine. I want his lips on mine. I want the taste of him on my tongue. So badly.

I look back up into his eyes. He’s fighting an inner battle. I can see it…and it hurts.

The thought of Polina invades my mind. He took her to bed so easily, yet he doesn’t want me. He had her in his bed, yet he keeps pushing me away. Even now he’s fighting it. He might even be mated to her right now for all I know. The hurt and the anger comes back, in full force that I stagger a few steps back.

His hands instinctively come up to grab my arm to keep me from falling, but I push them away.

“Then you know I want you to stay the hell away from me,” I yell. I don’t care if I’m waking everybody up or if everybody can hear me now. “Pretend we don’t know each other! Pretend I don’t exist! Pretend whatever fuck you want to pretend. Just leave me alone! You had no problem doing that for the last three years. Why the hell stop now? Just leave me alone!” I turn and stalk away as fast as I can before I start to make a fool of myself like hurling myself into his powerful arms and ask him to kiss me the way I want him to. Like the way he did before.

Faintly I hear him say, “sorry, I can’t do that Malyshka.”

He climbs up the stairs right behind me. He’s still behind me when I cross the hall to my room.

“Are you following me?” I stop right in front of my bedroom door to glare at him. My hands are shaking from being so

angry. I can only see the silhouette of his powerful frame because of the light from the staircase behind him.

“My room is right here,” he points to the door of the guest room next to mine. He sounds calm, but the stiffness in his jaw and his body tell me otherwise.

Damn Caspian. There are three other extra bedrooms in this house and he gave Darius a room next to mine! There’s even a pool house at the back that he can stay in. I swear that prince’s mission in life is to make my life miserable. Stupid lycan!

Saturday morning. The sun is shining bright when I open my eyes reluctantly. The sea breeze is soothing. The bed is comfy.

This is a good place to hide from the real world…or more specifically from Darius.

I spent hours lying in bed, fuming before I finally fell asleep after my “talk” with Darius last night. Okay, so I keep imagining the “almost kiss” moment that we had too…then curse myself right after I did that. The shame. The want. The anger. The want.

You want a fucking fairy godmother, Penny! You want a

unicorn that poops jelly beans. You want a pet dragon that breathes fire on Darius’s stupid sexy a*s. That doesn’t mean that you could have any of those things. Stupid Penny!!!

I’m still fuming now. I’m mad at him and I’m mad at myself.

Last night was the most talk we had in over three years since we first met. Then that almost kiss. Nope, I don’t feel like

facing him today. Nope, I can happily hide in my room for the rest of the day.

Pretty soon, though, my stomach starts growling. It sounds like a family of monsters is living in there. Baby monster, mommy monster, daddy monster, grandpa monster…Oh no, I need

food!

Only the terrifying thought of death caused by starvation motivates me enough to get out of bed finally. It’s beyond pathetic to die of hunger while lying in bed on a Saturday morning. It’s beyond cruel to have to get up so early on a Saturday morning though. I grab my phone on the bedside table. Well, okay so maybe it’s not that early. It’s already close to eleven.

I brush my teeth and pull my hair up into a messy ponytail. I stretch and yawn and glance briefly down my sleepwear. I always go down for breakfast in my pajama on weekends, why should today be any different? I’m better covered than I was last night anyway. I think. It’s a white tank top with pink cotton boy shorts that has pictures of smiling pineapples all over it. I put this on uncaringly last night. Sometimes I sleep in shirts that I stole from Caspian. He has the most comfortable shirts to sleep in, I swear!

Everybody is already at the breakfast table when I got down.

Everybody is already showered and dressed except for Genesis, Caspian and me. The three of us are not morning people in this house.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

Genesis is in a bathrobe that I know belonged to Constantine, just by the size and the smell of it. Caspian is topless. His

cotton pajama bottom seems to be in danger of slipping off his hips when he yawns and stretches his hands above his head.

His golden hair sticking everywhere.

“Good Morning,” I mumble, dropping onto the only chair available next to Caspian and Genesis. I try not to look at Darius who’s sitting right across from me. I know he’s all dressed up.

Everybody returns my greeting. From the way everybody is looking at us, I think they heard our “talk” last night. It’s hard to hide anything when you live with a bunch of nosey lycans with crazy super hearing.

Anya places my favorite mug with the face of a cow on it in front of me and I nod my thanks as she pours me steaming hot black coffee.

“I trust you slept well last night, Persephone?” says Darius casually sipping his coffee.

I almost choke and spit my coffee out. “Yes, awesome!” I snap out with a scowl. “I slept awesome!”

He must’ve known that I spent hours tossing and turning, knowing that we’re sharing a wall, wishing I could kick him in the nuts. Angry at him and wanting him. He should burn in hell.

He’s looking great this morning. No sign of late night tossing and turning. His white shirt stretches delightfully tight across his impressive chest. The sunlight streaming in through the big window behind him catches his shiny light blond hair. The

light that surrounds him makes him seem unreal. Shiny and perfect and too beautiful to be real. His pale blue eyes shining brightly as he stares at me from across the table. I have a sudden urge to kick him in the shin underneath the table.

Lazarus coughs and clears his throat loudly and I almost jump.

I suddenly realize that we’ve been locked in our staring match for a while. I look away with a scowl and notice Caspian’s smirking face and everybody else’s amused expressions. That woman Eva is looking back and forth between Darius and me with curiosity.

I look back up at him and give him the meanest glare. His mouth curls up into a sexy lopsided smile. How can a lopsided smile look so sexy and hot? Urghhh…he is so infuriating.

The conversation flows around us, but I’m not paying

attention.

I scowl harder as he raises his coffee mug to his lips with his eyes still on me. I watch him warily before I drag my eyes away and stab a stack of pancakes in front of me furiously with my fork. Stupid sexy lycan! Who likes a hot sexy jerky lycan? Nope!

Not me. Gosh! I hate him!!! I hate him so frikin’ much that I…I….I wanna poke his sexy eyes with this fork!

After breakfast, Darius and Eva went out. I didn’t even ask the others where they went off to. I don’t care. I’m not jealous at all. Nope. Not at all. Not even a little bit.

All the men have business to attend to as well, so Genesis, Serena and I decided to lounge around the swimming pool in our bikini. Serena and I are developing a nice tan. Genesis

remains pale with a nice pink glow to her skin. I don’t know how she manages that.

I’m painting Serena’s toenails bright red. Genesis is painting her fingernails. We’re taking turns painting each other’s nails. I don’t have Genesis’s careful precision, I keep messing it up and having to wipe the edges.

“I think we should go to the Spa one day. A day of relaxation at the Spa with my sisters,” sighs Serena. I love how she refers to us as her sisters now. I love how the lycans make me feel included and belonged.

“So…” says Genesis. “You and Darius..uh…patch things up finally, huh?”

I miss Serena’s toenail by a mile and smear the bright red color onto her skin. I curse under my breath as I wipe it off of her skin quickly.

That’s Genesis’s idea of being nosey and subtle at the same time. I can’t blame her. I’d do the same thing, only I wouldn’t be subtle. I would demand to know what happened.

“Nope, if you were listening harder last night, you would have known that he should stay far far far away from me,” I answer.

“Like in a different continent wouldn’t be far enough away.”

“Why???” She stops nail painting. “Darius must’ve told you that he didn’t mark that other woman, right?”

He didn’t? I remember he was trying to tell me something like that last night and I wouldn’t listen. Well, it wouldn’t matter because I still saw him in bed with that woman.

Serena and Genesis are now looking excited. They are looking at me as if all my problems are now solved.

Which reminds me that I never told Genesis or Serena about what I saw that night. It was too embarrassing for me. Their erasthais moved heaven and earth to be with them. Mine refused me for years and took another woman to bed to show me how much I’m not wanted.

It was all my own fault. I shouldn’t have spent those years waiting for him and going after him. Well, that Penny who had been pining after him is gone. This Penny isn’t waiting for anyone. I’m going to show him just how much I’m not pining after him.