A Demon's Past

Chapter 19

I didn't realize the car had stopped or that I was home. Not until I heard that knock on the window.

I wasn't sober, and that was probably why I wasn't as nervous as I should be with Andras so close to me.

Yes, I was nervous, but these were nerves I could handle. Nerves intertwined with excitement and desire. The latter being something I hadn't allowed myself to feel for a long time.

So, when I heard that angry knock on the window and saw who had produced it, I was overcome with another feeling I hadn't felt in a long time. Rage.

I don't even know if I said goodbye to Andras before quickly getting out of the car, grabbing Darsh's elbow, and hauling him inside. Darsh was a big guy, but it was extremely easy for me to drag him into the lobby, despite his constant struggle. I chucked it up to feminine rage and dismissed it.

I planned to haul him to my penthouse so I could kick his ass in private, but he opened his mouth "Arella," he said, and he sounded angry.

How dare he be angry? He ruined my night. Granted, it started with me almost having a panic attack, but everything after was magnificent.

From Andras managing to calm me down in a way I can barely remember, to the feeling of safety and peace that inundated me every time we touched. I had been so drunk, and instead of taking advantage of me, he made me drink water and then refused to even kiss me for fear I might regret it.

We'd only known each other for such a short amount of time, but I had never felt so seen. He knew me even though he didn't. And every moment I spent by his side was precious.

So, when Darsh dared to look like he was pissed at me, I exploded. "What are you doing here?" I demanded.

"What am I? --" he scoffed as he ran a hand through his short hair "What was he doing here?"

"I asked you a question," I said firmly, "What the hell are you doing here and why did you knock on the window like you might break it?"

"Does it matter?" he kept going, "What were you doing with him? You promised--"

"Of course, it matters!" I exclaimed, "You have no right to show up here and demand things of me, you are my friend, not my father!"

"Well, I certainly do not feel like your friend right now," he said lowly "I don't even know who you are anymore, look at you!" He looked at what I was wearing, at me with disgust. "This is not who you are! Where even were you?"

I tried to hide how much his words were hurting me "I was at a party," I said simply, suddenly feeling the need to defend myself. Was it weird that I loved this dress? Did I look like a girl wearing her mother's clothes?

I thought back to Andras' reaction and he didn't seem to think so.

"A party?" he asked incredulously "You don't go to parties; you hate big groups of people." He crossed his arms and gave me a satisfied smile "He can't be so great if he didn't know that."

I didn't say anything anymore, so he continued "Was he the one who dressed you like this?" he eyed me up and down, "Seriously Ella, you've known him for such a short time and he's already changing you!" his eyes filled with something I could only describe as pity, "This is exactly why you shouldn't be around him, people like him manipulate you and turn you into what they want you to be."

He took a step closer and put a hand on my cheek, "You're vulnerable right now, I'm just trying to protect you," he said tenderly, and I almost believed him.

If it weren't for her.

"Are you?" a female voice said from behind me.

I turned around at the same time Darsh noticed she was there. The lobby was otherwise empty, and although she hadn't said anything I hardly believed we hadn't seen her, she was hard to miss.