Trembling With the Strings

“What?” I mumbled, walking up to him. He glanced up at me, smiling.

“I was going to tell you that I’m sorry about what I just did, but now that you’re lying to me I feel so much better about it,” he whispered softly, seduction in his voice. All remorse had vanished from his gaze. I cried out when he jerked me onto his lap. “I own you, and I want the fucking truth from you, not some bullshit! Got it?” I bit my lip.

“Dray, please, can we just go?” I begged, turning to face him and wrapping my arms around his neck. He pressed his lips to my collarbone, smirking against it.

“Hmm, we could do that... Or we could just stay in bed all day.”

“But don’t you want to check on Luna?”

His body went rigid and his eyes narrowed as he glared at me. He shoved me off of him and I stumbled, falling to the floor. I didn’t make a single attempt to stand as I stared up at Darius, terrified. What had I done now? I cringed with each step he took, getting closer and closer to me. I was stuck in place, my body only allowing me to tremble.

“Who told you about Luna?” he demanded, jerking me up and slamming me into the wall. I swallowed a scream, gulping.

“Marcy—I’m sorry! I didn’t know I wasn’t allowed to know! Please!” I cried, squirming. Darius glared at me, but eased up on the crushing of my spine.

“Oh. Did... Did she let you pet her?” he asked quietly, looking down. I smiled slightly.

“No. She only likes you.” He smiled, but I could hardly tell. I allowed myself to breathe when my feet hit the floor and Darius backed away from me a bit. But I remembered something. “What did you do?”

He looked a bit taken aback, but he quickly regained his composure. “Oh. I ran into Lyndell on the way outside.” I watched as an accidental smirk formed on his lips. He coughed, clearing his face of all emotion. I stared at him, shaking my head.

“You told him?” I murmured, my lower lip trembling. He scowled, stepping forward. I ducked out of his arms and hurried to the other side of the room. “I can’t believe you! Is it not good enough that I know what we did? Huh? Is it not good enough that I have to live with knowing that I’m a filthy whore? You just had to tell the whole fucking world!”

“Just what are you going on about now?” Darius growled, rolling his eyes and walking closer to me. I backed away.

“That’s the thanks I get for just handing out my innocence to you?” I hissed, smacking his hand away as he reached out to me. He sneered, but I ignored it.

“Handing it out? You didn’t seem so upset while I was taking your ‘innocence’. What is this nonsense? You enjoyed it just as much as I did!” I cried out as he grabbed my arm roughly.

“I did not! I was fucking crying because of it!” I shrieked, shaking my head as more tears spilled. “I was crying because I’m a goddamn whore!”

His grip on me loosened until I no longer felt the chill of his skin on me. I tried to stop crying. I hid my face in my hands as I slid to the floor, my back against the wall. I didn’t dare look up at the silent man standing before me.

“...That’s why you were crying?” he whispered quietly, suddenly right in front of me. I glanced up and saw him crouching before me, his gaze on the floor.

“Yes. I told you that you would be mad,” I murmured, sniffling. I wiped my eyes with my arm. “I’m sorry.”

His eyes suddenly met mine and I saw pure shock. He stumbled for words for a bit before taking a deep breath.

“You’re sorry? But I...I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. Why does it matter to you so much?”

“Because it means I’m going to Hell when I die.”

“And you think I’m not?” He ran a hand through his already messy hair. “You’re a curiosity, you know that?”

“I recall you saying so before.” Darius reached out and gently caught my hand. I watched him cautiously as he brought it to his lips, kissing it softly before kissing up my arm and to my collarbone. “Dray...”

“Grace, I’m not after anything, alright? I promise.” He sighed, pulling my back to his chest and wrapping his arms loosely around my waist. “Well, we need to get you some pants. And then should we go turn you over to Marcy?” I couldn’t help but smile.

“Only if you’re not going to freak out if I stub my toe or anything.” He smirked.

“Nothing could damage your gorgeous body, baby,” he whispered in my ear seductively.

“Except when you decide to stop being ‘gentle’,” I grumbled, making a face.

“I just couldn’t help myself,” he mumbled against my neck. Chills went up my spine.

But I didn’t know if they were disgusted chills or pleasant ones...