NOVEL NEXT Chapter 68 - Oh.
"Oh. We're not friends; Eryk's my boyfriend," Emma said, standing on her tiptoes to kiss me on my cheek.
Sy's eyes grow wide as he breaks out into a huge smile. The two of us have only hung out a few times, and he's got so much going on in his own life, but he's still so happy for me. Sy is like Vivienne, a genuinely decent human, but without the desire for violence and combat that V has. I invited him to Friendsgiving without even thinking about what that means for our relationship. This is a tacit acceptance of us being friends, and I do not need any more friends.
"I had no idea you were seeing anyone, Eryk," Sy said.
"We only recently made it official," Emma said.
"It's a very new development, I assure you. Very new," I said pointedly.
Emma, you are toeing the line. We're racing toward a route that can only end in burying another body. She needs a reminder of who is in control here. That will have to wait til later. For now, I have to extricate myself from this situation. Emma puts on a cute face, and I can tell Sy has already fallen for her tricks. It's okay; as long as Sy doesn't mention the party, I'll be fine.
"So I guess I'll see you two at the Friendsgiving party tomorrow? Just shoot me the location and time when you get a chance, and I'll be there," Sy said.
"Yes, you will. I'm so excited to meet the rest of Eryk's friends," Emma exclaimed.
Fuck.
"I will as soon as I get back to my apartment," I promised.
Emma needs more than a reminder. She needs a lesson.
"It's up here. Regal Residences. You can use my parking spot," I said.
We pull into the garage, the security guard waving us through. All in all, I spent eight hundred and fifty dollars at Greg's. She pops the trunk, and the two of us each start grabbing bags. I take advantage of her enhanced strength and give her the heavier bags. Chivalry is bullshit, and she doesn't deserve anything but punishment. She follows me to the entrance, gaping at the interior of the building's lobby. There isn't anyone on the elevator to witness her pathetic display of awe at the prosperity of the place.
"You live in such a nice place," she said, surprised.
"I paid for an over $800,000 car for you; what kind of place did you think I'd live in?"
"Fair enough."
I punch in my door code and then scan my eye. The door swings open, and I'm home. Letting her know where I live wasn't the original plan, but being flexible got me this far. We head inside, and I direct her to put the bags over on the kitchen island. If I still had Punch's aggression, I might've caved in her skull before we got inside. My apartment's large French door refrigerator has plenty of room for all of the stuff I just bought, especially now that it isn't full of alcohol. I keep an eye on her as I organize and put away everything in the exact place it belongs. Nice and orderly. Turning around, I find her lying on my bed and missing most of her clothes. White lace lingerie that hugs her body is all she has on.
"You haven't fucked in this bed at all. There isn't a single scent in here that doesn't belong to you. Sure, there are a couple of very faint scents of people who have visited, but your bed is all yours. Did you want to break it in? If I remember correctly, I was promised limit testing punishment."
She's not quite as id-driven as Tuesday, but she's close enough to be dangerous to me. Am I going to have to dispose of her already, or is she capable of change? I close the fridge behind me, taking my shirt off and undoing my belt as I walk toward her and my bed. She bites her lip, eyes full of carnal desire. I unzip my pants, keeping the belt in my hand. I will try to show her the carrot, but I have no issues with brandishing the stick. She closes the distance, inching toward the end of my bed. Emma kisses me with the desperation of a man dying of thirst in the desert. I pin her arms above her head and wrap my belt around them. With her new powers, she's strong enough to snap it effortlessly, but that's not the point of this fantasy for her.
"Wow," Emma said, rolling over to my right.
"What are you after, Emma?" I asked.
"Another round," she answered.
"I'm serious. You said you were interested in travelling as a wealthy socialite. What happened to that?"
"Nothing happened; that's still the plan," she lied.
"You introduced yourself as my girlfriend to someone I know. You used your real name. That is not what someone who will be leaving soon does; that's what someone who plans to stick around does. It wasn't an accident either. It was a calculated move on your part, and probably related to a plan you have. But what I cannot figure out is what the hell you're after," I stated.
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She shuffles the sheet around, bunching it up against her chest. She looks like she's feeling guilty, but that could just be an act. Another ruse to try and fool me. She's not like me. There is a chance this is how she really feels. She may not be capable of love, but that doesn't necessarily mean she can't feel bad about her actions.
"I know what I said originally, but the idea of being completely alone isn't as appealing as I thought. Getting across the border wasn't fun, and not just because I was roughing it. You're an interesting puzzle I want to solve, and every tidbit I gather makes it worse. My life's been pretty shit until I triggered, but then after I killed everyone, it went back to being boring. All the stuff that happened with you and those numbered people is the most excitement Nestor Falls has ever seen. You're fun, Eryk; isn't that enough?"
"No, it isn't. You having fun is not a good enough reason to be causing problems for me and attempting to infiltrate my life. My life only works because I'm able to keep things separate, compartmentalize the aspects and sides in their own boxes. You were never meant to be a part of the one Sy is in. I have been accommodating, but you are getting dangerously close to reaching the limit of what I will allow," I warned her.
"Are you threatening me?" She asked, trailing a nail against my chest that breaks skin. A thin line of blood starts to rise to the surface.
"No, I am warning you, and you won't get a second one. You might be stronger and faster than me now, but do you really believe that I gave you all this power without any way to protect myself?"
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"That I greatly dislike being at someone else's mercy, and that I always have a contingency plan. If you want to stick around, you're going to need to provide value to me," I said.
"And what I just did wasn't valuable enough?" Emma asked, licking the trail of blood.
"Maybe if I were an emperor looking for a new courtesan. I'm not going to pay you to just exist," I said.
"You could, you just don't want to. Kidding. I understand what you're saying. I won't go tomorrow if you truly don't want me there."
"I don't want you there," I plainly stated. "Unfortunately, you have to show up because of your lie. Otherwise, I'll have people asking me why you didn't come. The thing about lying is that you can really only get away with it if it's a half-truth or vague enough that it can't be verified. No, I'm bringing you, and that means you're going to meet my friends, including the one who has a crush on me," I explained.
"Oh, unrequited love? I almost feel bad for stealing her man," Emma joked.
"You did not steal me; I am not yours. We aren't really dating," I said.
"I mean, we have gone on a date and we're having casual sex. Kind of sounds like we're dating."
"I'm not arguing the semantics of our fake relationship. You have forced your way into this dinner party under the guise of us dating, so now you have to act like we're dating for the remainder of the party. Get up and get dressed. I'm going to have to drill the basics into you so that you don't mess anything up," I said, sliding off my bed.
"It kind of feels like you're baiting me to say something with that line, but I won't give in. How much do I have to learn for a rich dinner party?" Emma asked, putting her shirt and panties back on.
"It isn't a rich dinner party. It is a more intimate affair with friends. Also, first lesson, don't mention my wealth. None of them needs to know about my circumstances."
"Your friends aren't even aware how wealthy you are? You weren't kidding about keeping things separate, were you?" She asked, surprised.
"No, I was not. While there, do not mention the two associates of mine you met. Their names, likenesses, and even the fact that they work for me are to remain a secret. Your country of origin, how we met, where we met, and that I bought your car are also a secret," I started to say.
"You have anything to drink? I have a feeling this is going to take a while," she interjected.
"Help yourself to anything you'd like in the fridge. The first cabinet on the left has all the cups. If you get hungry, let me know and I'll whip something up for you," I offered.
The carrot seems to be working so far. Let's see if this continues.
"I'm not hungry yet, but I'll let you know," she responded.
Emma walks over to my kitchen cabinets, removing one of the tall, thin glasses. She saunters around the island, trailing her hands across the granite countertop. For a second, I wonder if she's about to damage it, but she just continues to my fridge. I watch as she moves things out of the way, searching for something within the appliance. She closes the door, turning to me with a confused look on her face.
"You don't have anything in there except for coffee; you don't have any juice or anything sweet. I didn't take you for a health nut," she said.
"I dislike sweet things entirely. I live alone and don't often host, so it does not occur to me to stock any juice or soda. Apologies."
"Who the hell doesn't like sweet stuff?" She asked, not to me but aloud. She fills her cup with water and takes a long drink. "You can continue."
"Don't mention my helmet or my powers," I said.
"I may have just recently triggered, but I understand the importance of secret identities. I, of all people, understand wanting to hide that you're a Neuvohuman. And you're obviously a Cowl, I get not wanting your buddies to know you're a criminal and murderer," she said.
"No, you don't get it. Half of the people at this party are Capes, probationary members of the Heroes' Union. One of those people happens to be the strongest Neuvohuman I've ever seen; she's a monster," I said. "Forty-Four would be powerless to stop her."
"Oh, I did not understand. Still, I know a thing or two about blending in. You and I are alike in that way. I can play the role of a harmless, normal girlfriend perfectly. I did it for years; I can mask just as well as you," she replied.
"No, you can't. You're under the impression that you've seen beneath my mask as I have yours, but you haven't. We may both be monsters, but we aren't the same kind. You couldn't help yourself but toy with the server tonight, why shouldn't I assume you'll have the same struggles at Friendsgiving?"
"That was different, I could tell how nervous he was; I could smell it on him. I can behave myself without any problems," she assured me.
"And what will you do when faced with the girl who has a crush on me? Who will be surprised, hurt, and likely jealous when she sees us?" I asked.
"I'll only tease her a bit. I can handle a lovesick woman."
"The monster I mentioned, that's the girl who likes me. She can fly, is pretty much invulnerable, has super strength and speed, and can shoot lasers from her eyes. I've only seen her angry once, and she nearly beat a seven-foot-tall Bruiser to death," I said.
"Oh."