Chapter 40
GALINA
Talking with my dad helped. And he was right: rocking out with Arianna to Explosions last night did, too.
So did finally breaking apart at the seams, falling to my knees in the middle of a song and starting to cry, which prompted Ari to turn the music off immediately and ask me what the literal fuck was going on.
So I told her.
All of it.
Well, not all of it. I mean, there was certainly no mention of my masked BookTok account. Not because I’m embarrassed, it’s just…that’s for me.
But I did tell her about Lochlan. And she, being the most amazing friend ever, just listened. She didn’t judge, or tell me what to do or think, or how to feel. She did suggest we go over to Kingsward Hall and “duct tape a hand grenade to his ballsack and pull the pin”—direct quote.
But other than that, she was just there for me.
A day later, though, I still don’t have the answers I wish I did. I actually have even more questions, because Lucia saw Yelena briefly this morning and said she smelled like gasoline and smoke, and wouldn’t provide any explanation.
As interesting as I find that, though, I’ve got bigger things to mull over.
But these things are all very overwhelming. So, instead, obviously, I do the next best thing: doomscroll social media on my phone.
The second I open my app, I’m bombarded with a flood of notifications. I always have a metric shitload of them waiting for me, given how many followers I have. But this feels above and beyond, especially since I haven’t posted in two freaking weeks.
I tap on the notifications tab to see what the hell is going on.
Oh.
The Ghost Prince has a new video up.
…I’m tagged in it.
I bite down on my lip as I tap on the newest video in his feed. Instantly, a shirtless, extra-tattooed, masked version of Lochlan fills the screen.
God, he’s so good at this.
I mean, it’s kinda ridiculous when he starts gyrating his hips and palming his crotch through his jeans, then turns to the chair next to him and grabs the back of it before thrusting hard, as if giving it the fucking it deserves.
But he knows exactly what he’s doing, and the comments section is proof of that. For a second, I scowl at the level of thirst some of these women are displaying in a way that makes even me blush. But then I let that slide off me and just smile wider.
Thirst all you want, girls.
I’M the one who has him.
I frown.
Or…had?
No, this isn’t going to be a past tense situation.
Slowly, as the pulsing, sexy music throbs in the background, he stops grinding the chair and turns to face the camera, his tactical mask sending a shiver down my spine. He jams a finger at the viewer, and suddenly, a text overlay pops up.
“When you f*cked up and you might have lost her, but she needs to know you’ll never quit. You’ll never apologize for the stalking and the possessiveness because that’s just what she DOES to you.”
My heart thuds in my chest as I glance at the comments again. Yeah, a lot are horny cringe shit. But there are a ton of others.
PaperbackPrincess: If this is the apology, I don't even need to know the crime lol
HockeyMomJen: Me texting "come over" before the video even finishes uploading...
Citygirlem: My toxic trait is knowing whatever he did, this would 100% fix it
Heyitsmads: @VelvetVillainess he could fuck every one of my friends and I would probably still take him back after this. Yes, I realize I need therapy.
BusyMamaReads: I support women. Unfortunately, I also support literally everything about this man.
MorallyGay: @VelvetVillainess Girl, the line behind you is LONG lmaooooo
Suddenly, the background music purposefully glitches, like a DJ scratching. A new tune starts to play, and my breath catches.
It’s “She’s Always a Woman”, by Billy Joel.
Lochlan steps closer to the camera.
“Even if you never forgive me, baby,” he growls in his modulated Ghost voice. “Even if I spend eternity missing you, I need you to know something.”
Holy shit, what is happening?
“I could probably spend the rest of my life without you in it,” he murmurs. “But I really don’t want to.”
My heart skips a beat.
“I love you, little villain. And unfortunately, I just don’t know how to stop loving you.”
The music glitches again and goes back to the sultry sexy beat. Lochlan turns back to the chair and starts to dry hump it again.
I start to laugh.
Then I start to cry.
But more than anything, I start to realize that he just gave me the missing piece to all this.
I’m done waiting to “be ready”. I’m finished “trying to figure out what I feel”.
I know what I feel, and I’m ready to say it to his face.
Pure energy courses through my veins as I sit up and switch to my texting app.
Me
Are you home? I’m coming to you.
My heart skips when I see the three dots of him typing.
Lochlan
Meet me at The Garrison.
Lochlan
There’s something we need to finish.
I start grinning like an idiot.
Me
When?
Lochlan
I’m literally already on my way there.
I giggle as I spring out of bed and rush to my closet to pull on clothes that aren’t the PJs I’ve been wearing for like forty-eight hours straight.
Me
OMW!
At the last second, I end up jumping in a quick shower. Then I get dressed and bolt out the door.
It’s late, and the moon is high as I cross the mostly deserted campus toward the woods and the cliffs beyond, my heart thudding so fast that I barely feel anything but the buzz of excitement tingling over my skin.
I stop at the stone archway leading into the ruins and take a slow breath. Then, I step in.
Whoa.
I mean, WHOA.
He’s the first thing I see, standing near the bonfire pit. No mask, no pretenses. Just Lochlan in a t-shirt and jeans, smiling at me.
Beside him are two chairs and a small folding table, set with two plates, silverware, a bottle of wine and two glasses, a Tupperware full of steaming food, and a flickering candle.
My heart skips as I stop and lift my eyes to his.
“What…what is this?”
He smirks and holds up a hand, beckoning me over with two fingers. I smile as I bite my lower lip and close the distance between us, until I’m standing right in front of him, looking up into his gorgeous blue eyes.
“This, little villain,” he murmurs. “Is the date we never finished.”
I groan. “You mean the one I ruined because I ran out like a psycho?”
He shakes his head. “The only thing you’ve ever ruined is me.”
I roll my eyes. “Please. As if I could ever even look at another man after you.”
He shrugs. “I mean, you could. I’d just have to kill them after.”
“Mmm,” I purr. “Talk red flag to me, baby.”
He slides his hands over my hips, drawing me close. I inhale his scent that smells like desire, feel his heat that tells me I'm safe, revel in his nearness which feels like home.
I reach up, my heart racing as I cup his face.
“I saw your video,” I whisper quietly.
His eyes lock with mine. “And?”
“And I love you—”
“You don’t love him.”
I scream and whirl to the voice and the metallic click behind me.
Nacho’s eyes gleam in the moonlight as he levels the barrel of a gun at us.
“You love me, Villainess,” he spits. “You're mine.”