God of Temptation

Chapter 11

~Ariella~

It takes Remi a beat to grasp my reference, and when the realization hits him, it's like watching a revelation smack him square in the face. His wide, chocolate-colored eyes lock onto mine, and he grabs my hands, swiftly pulling me away.

I glance at our joined hands-mine looking comically small in his firm grip. Three silver rings adorn his fingers, each one adding to his enigmatic charm.

"Where are we heading, Remi?" I manage to keep my voice nonchalant despite the turmoil of emotions swirling within me.

"To a more private spot, Jailbait. Uni's not the stage for this conversation," he quips with that infuriating smirk. The hypocrisy is palpable.

Yeah, sure. It's the perfect place for your other propositions" I retort, flatly laying bare the irony.

He turns with a mischievous smirk, teasingly wagging his forefinger. "Naughty girl," he quips, punctuating it with a playful wink before refocusing ahead.

A chuckle slips from my lips, catching him off guard as his gaze snaps back at me.

"What's up, Remi?" I inquire.

"Did you just laugh?" he asks, genuinely surprised.

"Yep, why?" A wide smile spreads across my face for reasons I can't quite fathom.

He ponders for a moment before shaking his head, seemingly deciding against sharing whatever was on his mind. "Nothing, never mind," he dismisses.

Disappointment lingers within me, yet I conceal it behind a roll of my eyes. It's perplexing how I strive to show indifference when he's seen every corner of my soul. When he knows my unspoken infatuation.

"Where are you two off to?" A voice calls out, abruptly halting our fleeting moment, and Remi swiftly withdraws from me. If it wasn't for the burning on my wrist and the ache in my heart, I think I would have fooled myself into thinking he even held my hand. Yet, his abrupt move feels like a stab.

Damn you, Remi.

I glance back; it's Glyndon. Wonderful timing, Glyn.

I force a plastic smile, turning to address her, my heart still aching from Remi's sudden betrayal.

"Where were you headed?" Glyn inquires, curiosity lacing her voice.

Before I can respond, Remi beats me to it. "Nowhere, Glyn. Ariella misplaced something, and we were just looking for it."

I turn my head to face him, glaring at his profile. Oh, how I'd love to smash that nose. Yet, the mere thought of causing him harm fractures my heart. How dare I even think about it? Fuming now at an entirely different reason, I walk away. I'm not angry at Remi anymore; I'm furious with myself. How can I imagine causing him pain, Ariella?

A lump lodges in my throat, and my eyes burn. My hand instinctively goes to my neck, grazing the spot where Remi's lips touched.

"Jailbait, wait up," Remi calls after me. I refuse to acknowledge him and quicken my pace. But soon, he grabs my elbows, forcing me to stop.

"Wait, damn it, what's gotten into you?" He snaps, catching up.

But shouldn't I be the one infuriated here?

"Well, tell me, what's gotten into you? You're the one who recoiled from me as if I scorched you," I admit, regretting my vulnerability. I'm already too exposed to him. Confessing just amplifies it.

"What do you expect me to do? Announce to the world we're fucking?" he hisses.

"We're not fucking," I state matter-of-factly.