Chapter 32
LOCHLAN
I know better than to get involved with bullshit that doesn’t involve me.
At least, I used to.
But that was before I found myself falling head over fucking heels for Galina Nikitin. And unfortunately, now that I have, there’s no fucking power on Earth that’s going to stop me from firmly inserting myself in her situation.
This shit ends tonight.
In the shadows next to Blackwood Hall, I exhale slowly as I watch my target shove half a Snickers bar into his mouth at once.
It’s dark, and he’s sitting alone on a bench next to one of the myriad of white gravel pathways that zigzag across campus.
His phone illuminates his face…which currently looks like a goddamn chipmunk with that fucking candy bar crammed into it.
I scowl as I watch him grin at something on his phone before he taps the screen.
My own phone buzzes in my pocket.
Do I feel guilty for syncing Galina’s Velvet Villainess account notifications to my phone?
Yes. But it’s only temporary, and the ends do justify the means in this case.
Tonight, those ends involve making sure “Mr.Villainess” knows, unequivocally, that his days of being a level 99 creep to his favorite content creator are over.
I suppose I do feel a touch bad for him. Because I really do think this is more a case of a guy being raised not knowing how to talk to girls than it is him being a bad person.
Still. This crap has gone on too long, and he’s taken it too far.
I’ve looked back at some of shit Mr.Villainess has sent her over the last year.
Mr.Villainess
You looked tired today in your video, beautiful. Please take care of yourself.
Mr.Villainess
You deserve to be cherished, my dear.
Mr.Villainess
Every queen deserves a loyal, faithful knight.
Like…okay, they’re weird, but they come off as socially awkward, not dangerous.
But that’s not all.
Mr.Villainess
I saw that guy being rude and objectifying you in the comments. You shouldn’t have to deal with scum like that. But don’t worry, I reported his account :D
Mr.Villainess
I know you're careful about who you let into your life. It's one of the many things I love about you. I’ll always be here, waiting until you’re ready to chat, beautiful girl.
Mr.Villainess
Sometimes I wonder what you smell like, or how your skin tastes.
“I wonder how your skin tastes”?!
Come on. My skin is fucking crawling at that one.
And there are others that are worse.
Mr.Villainess
I don’t like sharing you with all those strangers.
Mr.Villainess
Some people are just meant to find each other.
Mr.Villainess
Would you ever consider selling me your used panties?
Mr.Villainess
I’m an expert at oral. Some girls say I'm TOO good.
Mr.Villainess
lol oops sorry wrong DM
Mr.Villainess
Unless…?
Yeah, this ends right the fuck now.
If it was anyone else, what’s about to happen would probably…
okay, definitely…involve a lot more violence.
But when I dug into “Mr.Villainess”, and isolated his IP address, and tracked him down to a name, I realized with a thud that Mr.Villainess is Knightsblood’s very own Ignacio “Nacho” Castellano.
I suppose that means I can’t actually kill, maim, incapacitate, or otherwise wreck him.
Yes, Nacho’s being a serious fucking creep, and his obsession with Galina’s alter ego has gone way past “parasocial” and is quickly entering “obsessive stalker” territory.
I mean, I’d know, right?
But at the end of the day, Nacho is just an awkward tool who doesn’t know how to talk to girls. He’s not dangerous. Luckily for him, that means I’m just going to scare the living shit out of him tonight instead of putting him in the ground.
That said, he does almost choke to death on his Snickers bar when I jam the business end of Galina’s neon purple prop dildo between his shoulder blades.
What? I did say I wasn’t going to kill him.
“Ignacio Castellano,” I growl through my voice modulator. I’m just wearing a regular ski mask tonight, but I thought the modulator would be a fun pants-shitting addition.
“Don’t shoot!” Nacho yelps. “Please! I have money! Name your price!”
I roll my eyes.
“I’m not here for your daddy’s money, Nacho,” I rasp, digging the dildo into his back like a gun. “I’m here to talk about a mutual friend of ours.”
He sucks in lungfuls of air. “W-who?”
“Velvet Villainess.”
Nacho stiffens.
“S-she—”
“She didn’t send me. She doesn’t know I’m here. And she doesn’t know who you are,” I growl. “But she doesn’t need to know who you are. She makes the content she does because she enjoys it. She does it for herself, Nacho.”
He chokes as I twist the bulbous, veined head of the cock against him.
“…not for you.”
He’s silent as his shoulders quickly rise and fall with his breath.
“Perhaps you might consider this a mutual decision,” I growl. “While she appreciates your patronage, this thing you have with her has run its course.”
His breath catches as I tap the dildo on his back like the barrel of a gun.
“Do not make the mistake of not hearing me clearly tonight. It will not end well for you. Nod if you understand.”
His head bobs like it’s spring-loaded.
“Good.” I pull the dildo away and tuck it into my jacket. “Enjoy your night, Nacho.”
I’m already leaving when he finally speaks again.
“If she didn’t send you… Why are you telling me this?”
I glance over my shoulder.
“Because she’s mine,” I rumble quietly.
“So you’re…” He clears his throat. “You’re with her?”
“Yes.”
“You’re The Ghost Prince, aren’t you?” Nacho breathes. “I know you are. I recognize your modulator.”
“Always nice to meet a fan,” I mutter dryly. “Remember what I said tonight, Nacho—”
“So it’s true?” he says very quietly. “You’re…a couple? For real?”
“This conversation is over,” I growl as I turn away.
“Does she love you?”
I tense.
Maybe yes. Maybe no.
But Nacho deserves a clean break.
“She does.”
I try, but I doubt I fully keep the smug grin out of my tone when I say it.
Nacho’s head lowers as he nods quietly. “Okay.”
“But, hey,” I shrug. “There’s other fish in the sea, pal. A lid for every pot, right?” My brows knit. “Uh, trust the process and all that good shit.”
He says nothing.
But I’m pretty confident this is a message received, even if it came at the expense of Nacho’s heart getting a little bruised up and his pants potentially a little soiled.
He’ll live, though.
“Slide into her DMs again and I’ll cut your fucking head off,” I toss over my shoulder, for no other reason than maybe freaking him out again will stop him from feeling so heartbroken.
I meant what I said, though.
Galina is mine.