Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
Vesper
Not even an hour had passed by the time Bellamy finally stirred. The poison must not have been in her system for long before she got the antidote. That was good. Now she could fucking leave.
Vesper set her book down and leaned forward in the chair, propping her elbows up on her knees and watching as Bellamy tensed before registering her surroundings—the lingering scent of coconut and almond in the air, the quiet hum of Vesper’s fan that she never turned off. Bellamy relaxed.
Vesper rolled her eyes when Bellamy tried to move—she’d been propped on one side so Vesper could keep an eye on the healing process.
She sucked in a breath, winced, and fell back down, finally opening her eyes and trying to examine her cut.
It was cleaned and almost healed thanks to Vesper only using the good, magic-imbued sutures that healed at twice the speed.
But she couldn’t get a good look; it was too close to her spine to see.
Bellamy barely acknowledged Vesper’s presence, covering her eyes with her arm—a move that pulled her shirt up a tiny bit more and made Vesper grit her teeth.
“Thanks, Ves,” she murmured, peeking out to look at Vesper.
Vesper leaned back, folding her arms over her chest. “Didn’t give me much of a choice, did you? Next time you piss off some asshole, fight your own fucking battle,” she griped. But she didn’t mean it, and they both knew it. Still, Vesper was allowed to be pissed.
“It’s your fault,” Bellamy grumbled, and Vesper gaped at her. Vesper had done nothing, but before she had a chance to say that Bellamy added, “Can you not be such a bitch about this?”
Vesper scoffed, trying to figure out how the fuck it was her fault. Bellamy tried pushing herself up again only to be clearly reminded why she hadn’t done so earlier. “You couldn’t have done something for the pain?”
Vesper snorted. “Why would I?”
“Fuck you.”
“Definitely not.”
“You know what, Ves?” Bellamy began angrily, but Vesper didn’t let her finish.
In a flash, she was on her, legs on either side of Bellamy’s torso, knee digging into the wound she’d just stitched up.
Bellamy squirmed, trying in vain to push her away.
Vesper used the opportunity to grab Bellamy’s hands, pinning them above her head.
“No, Bel. You don’t get to be a bitch after I saved your worthless fucking life.
That’s not how this works,” Vesper growled, pushing her knee further into Bellamy’s side until she let out a pained gasp.
The slight curve of Vesper’s lip was the only giveaway to the sadistic enjoyment she got from Bellamy’s pain.
“You know,” Bellamy breathed, smirking. “There’s easier ways to get me under you. Want to move somewhere more comfortable?” She gave a breathy laugh, failing to hide her wince when she tilted her hips up to press against Vesper.
“I’m not fucking desperate, don’t kid yourself.” Vesper snapped and scrambled off Bellamy. She eyed her then turned on her heel and stormed to the door, throwing it open.
“Get out,” she ordered and glared at Bellamy, motioning to the hallway. It was empty save for the body. Vesper sighed heavily. “And clean up your fucking mess too.”
Bellamy pushed up on her elbows and looked at Vesper with that fucking smirk still firmly in place.
“Are you mad that you can hate me this much and still can’t bring yourself to let me die?
” Vesper opened her mouth to argue that by letting her die, it would put a target on her own head—not that Bel cared, apparently—but Bellamy continued before she could get the words out.
“Or, are you mad that you still want to fuck me?”
Vesper sucked her teeth, trying to ignore Bellamy’s taunting. There was no arguing with her when she was like this. “Get. Out,” she growled again.
“You could close that door, have your way with me, take out all that anger you’re holding in. Punish me for ruining your day. You know you want to, I’m helpless to stop you.”
“Bellamy,” Vesper snapped. The warning in her voice was enough to wipe that smug look from Bellamy’s face as her eyes widened and she swallowed. “Get the fuck out of my apartment.”
“I can’t,” Bellamy ground out, frustrated she clearly wouldn’t be getting her way. “The blade was poisoned.”
Vesper groaned. Right. Of course. Bellamy couldn’t move until the poison was out of her system entirely, and Vesper wasn’t going to sit around and let Bellamy goad her into a fight while she was fucking useless.
“Fine. Stay here, then. You better be gone and your mess cleaned up by morning,” Vesper snapped, turning and striding through the open doorway.
“Wait!” Bellamy called after her, Vesper paused, looking over her shoulder. “Where are you going?”
“Gonna find someone to shack up with for the night. Bye.”
“What if they come back? Or send more?” There was no mistaking the panic in Bellamy’s voice now. For all her talk, Bellamy was a fucking coward.
“Not my problem, Bel.” Vesper laughed and closed the door, locking it and begrudgingly making sure her wards were still in place.
No one except her would be able to enter, but Bellamy didn’t need to know that.
She didn’t deserve peace of mind. Vesper chuckled to herself when Bellamy’s angry screams reached her from behind the door.
Bellamy knew full well Vesper wouldn’t have left her completely vulnerable.
It would have come down on Vesper’s head if something happened, and she wasn’t willing to gamble with her life just to piss off Bellamy.
But she didn’t need to tell her that. Didn’t want to encourage Bellamy making her selfish decisions and bringing all of her problems literally to Vesper’s door.
It was bad enough Bel treated the place like she still shared ownership, barging in whenever she felt like.
Vesper got halfway down the bright hallway, stewing in her irritation, before a door opened to her left, followed by a deep sultry voice.
“Hey, V. Heard some shit going down earlier. Know anything about that?” Vesper turned.
Cedar peeked down the hallway to see the dead body and raised an eyebrow at Vesper.
Quiet instrumentals filtered through her open doorway into the hall.
Her long, red hair fell loose past her shoulders, framing her face.
Vesper smiled. She knew where she’d spend the night now. Cedar knew it, too, judging by the way she’d leaned at the doorframe, arms crossed over her chest to push up her tits and showcase her lack of a bra. The thin camisole and skimpy shorts left little to the imagination.
Vesper leaned back on the wall opposite, affecting the same casual posture and hooking her thumbs in her pockets.
“Oh, you know,” she said with a shrug. “Bel dragging her bullshit to me.”
Cedar chuckled, “So, you need somewhere to stay occupied for a bit?”
“Just the night.”
“Well, I’d hate to leave my favorite neighbor out in the cold.”
Vesper smirked, “Oh yeah, I’m sure that would be terrible for you.”
“You’ve no idea.” Cedar’s eyes flashed and she dragged her gaze over Vesper. “You weren’t about to go Downstairs were you?”
Vesper shrugged, she couldn’t afford to go to the Downstairs until she got paid again, but Cedar didn’t know that. “You know the girls like seeing me.”
“So do I. Don’t bother with them. Stay with me.”
“Wouldn’t dream of going down there if you’re up here offering.” Vesper’s gaze drifted, unashamed, down to Cedar’s pushed-up tits before she tore away and met Cedar’s sly expression. “I’ve got a few errands first, though. So, you’ll have to go without for a bit.”
“Don’t keep me waiting, V.”
Vesper winked, turning back towards the stairwell.
She needed to restock her med kit after wasting good supplies on Bellamy.
She’d considered getting the shitty sutures for when something like this inevitably happens again.
She discarded the idea quickly, lest she risk having to use them on herself if there was an emergency.
On the plus side, since she’d used the magic-laced sutures, it meant Bellamy would be fully healed and out of her apartment by morning at the very latest. Vesper wasn’t about to go back to check. Better to wait her out.
On the down side, she’d wasted money she really didn’t have. She was absolutely going to make Bel pay her back. If Bellamy didn’t have the money, maybe she could pay her back in a different way—No! Vesper shook the thought away as soon as it formed.
There was no way she was doing something that foolish.
She’d regretted every time they’d fucked.
Every single time. Sure, it was a great time in the moment.
Helped her work out a lot of frustration.
But she never felt good about things after.
Like the past week. She’d been so messed up in her head that she blew through her money just for a one-night distraction.
Okay, a several night distraction.
It wasn’t just Vesper who was fucked up after, either. Bellamy was always a little clingier, more jealous and possessive. It was shitty for both of them, and Vesper hated it. Hated her.
They’d already fucked, too recently. She knew Bellamy wasn’t satisfied with how it had ended.
Vesper almost laughed. She could picture the outrage so clearly.
It meant that Bellamy would just be doubling down her efforts to get Vesper in her clutches again.
That was why Vesper was banished from her apartment for the rest of the day and the entire night.
If she went back, they’d fuck. She knew that. Knew she was weak. And Vesper absolutely did not want to do that again. Not so soon.
Cedar was the better option. She usually provided a good distraction—fine, she always provided a good distraction—and she never fought with Vesper. Never tried to hurt her like Bellamy did. Cedar was an herbalist, not an assassin. She didn’t have it in her to give and take pain like Bel did.