Page 33 of A Dance Macabre
“Yes,” I answer with no remorse as I follow him into the kitchen. Gemini heads straight for the wall of state-of-the-art fridges, his black boots squeaking on the polished floor. “Even you.”
“I always knew you were a cold-hearted bitch,” he says with amusement while opening a fridge at random and poking his head inside.
“Don’t pretend you ever wanted to rule in the first place,” I volley back as I approach him from behind.
He swivels around to look at me, now holding a bowl of cherries. “I am a slave to chaos, love,” he says with a grin, shooting me a wink with his green eye, a subtle smear of eyelinertinting his lower lashes. He pops a cherry in his mouth. “Besides, power doesn’t suit me.”
Placing the bowl on the marble island, he turns back to the fridge, continuing his search for the perfect midnight snack.
“I don’t know if it suits me either.” The words stumble out of my mouth before I can even process them while Gemini yells out, “Jello cake!” I freeze and hope to the gods he didn’t hear me.
Closing the fridge with his hip, he places the green cake beside the bowl of cherries.
“That looks revolting,” I say, pretending I didn’t just admit something vulnerable.
“It’s a delicacy.” His gaze lifts to my face, his eyes narrowing. “Something’s wrong.”
My chest tightens and I suddenly feel like crawling out of my skin.
I try to unclench my jaw before I speak. “Nothing’s wrong.”
Gemini pushes himself up and sits on the marble top. His legs, clad in black and white striped pants, swing idly as his head tilts to the side, studying me. “You’re lying.”
His comment is nonchalant, but it makes me want to smash every breakable thing in this place. I turn to the drawers to have something to do, away from his prying gaze, and begin to search for a fork so he can eat his ridiculous jello cake.
“Your power doesn’t work on me, Gem,” I mutter, getting more and more flustered with every wrong drawer I open.
“Good thing I can read body language then,” he says with a laugh.
“Nothing iswrong,” I repeat through gritted teeth, fruitlessly opening another drawer. “It’s just that—”Nothing feels right. “Why can’t I find one singlethingin this godsdamn place!” I jerk the handle far too hard and the drawer flies off its tracks, dozens of kitchen tools clanging to the floor.
The silence settles between us, my breathing much too loud for what I’ve been letting on.
Slowly, my gaze slides back to Gemini, and he flashes me a sly lazy smile. His tone is innocent when he asks, “Looking for this?” He holds up a fork having already started to eat the cake. “If I had to guess, Wolfie is getting under your skin,” he mumbles around his bite.
The mention of Wolfgang’s name has me stomping my heels like a child, kicking at the fallen whisks and large metal spoons just to tame some of the fire burning behind my chest.
I soon realize how ridiculous I must look and stop. I avoid Gemini’s gaze, smoothing my hair back into place while the silence returns in the kitchen.
“I know you’d rather never share your secrets, love. But at least give meone,” he says smoothly.
My eyes fall closed as I take a long deep breath and slowly exhale. Finally, l look over to Gemini. Leaning on the counter facing him, I cross my arms.
“Nothing is … easy,” I relent with a slow sigh.
He offers me a fork and holds out the cake between us. I press my lips in irritation but grab the fork, stabbing it into the gelatinous monstrosity and take a half-hearted bite.
It’s not as bad as I expected.
“What, exactly?” Gemini responds with a small puff of laughter. “Working with a Vainglory?”
My throat tightens recalling our last encounter, earlier today. I could have fought harder, kneed him in the groin at least. But something about his touch made me pause. His exploratory fingers between my legs felt almost … familiar. His hands on me should make me want to kill him. Instead, I was mortified that his touch had aroused me and that he could feel how wet I was.
I shove the thought away before glancing up.
“The gods are punishing me, Gem. That’s the only explanation as to why I would be stuck ruling with the man I hate most.”
Gemini snickers. “Maybe start with owning up to your mistake.” He twirls his fork at my face. “Cunning Cee-Cee, thinking she could outplay the gods.”
