Chapter 14: Bitter icing

My lips parted, my eyes slowly widening as I took in that piece of information. Lose a child? I thought Angel was... I thought Angel was his child?

I swallowed hard. Was I getting something wrong? I looked up to him, searching for more answers, needing more than just the dirty crumbs he had thrown. Looking at him, however, I didn't think it was the right thing to ask.

He was sitting back on the window still, his eyes closed, his breaths ragged. His eyes were darker than I had ever seen them, and I slowly moved. I was scared for him and for myself, and I hated how my conscience still gnawed at me.

"Sin?" I managed to say, but he did not reply. He only raked his fingers through his hair, pushing them backward.

He took in a deep breath, then got up, his hands gently going into his pockets. "Eat up."

Without another word from either of us, he left the room, leaving the door slightly ajar. I stayed there, watching the path in which he had left, my brows furrowed in confusion. I swallowed, then leaned to the edge of the bed, my hands going to my hair.

I closed my eyes, my chest lightly heaving as I sighed, my hands grabbing a fistful of my hair. I wasn't sure how long I stayed there, but it felt comfortable and right.

Suddenly, a light knock came on the door. I turned, expecting the stylists or an attendant, but instead, Larissa stood by the door, a cupcake in her hand.

I straightened, my eyes immediately thinning. She was dressed elegantly, complete with a fur shawl over her shoulders, one that did nothing to cover the deep cleavage that was still on show.

"Are you not going to invite me in?"

I sighed. How am I supposed to stand this woman for five months? It has been a day, and I want to put her in a cage with snakes.

"What do you want?"

She smiled, pushing the door open with her foot. She walked in, her eyes taking in the room. Slowly, she went to the large mirror console, then leaned on it.

"I just came to see the woman who is trying so hard to fill my shoes."

My brows furrowed. "Your shoes? You are probably in the wrong room, then. No one is filling your shoes over here."

She gave a small snicker, then met my eyes. "Sin... has really downgraded. It's painful to watch. Even the whores he had flocking around him, licking the dirt of his shoes could do much better than this."

My brows raised, my eyes blinking rapidly. I swallowed, nodding slowly. "Honestly, he should be happy he got rid of you."

"Oh, he wasn't. He called and begged.... he offered money and status. Everything. You have a man whom I can have any time I want, sweetie. A man who has never looked at a single woman before me and never will after me."

Maybe she was right. Maybe that is why he wanted to destroy her even more. Because he has given her more than anyone else.

"Yet," I said. "If you were so content with the man you had, you wouldn't be here, waiting for Sin to leave before you come up here. Did you say that the whores licking dirt off him before he married you could do better than me? Well, guess who is married to him now, and who is... licking dirt off his shoes. Or maybe you don't even have dirt to lick. He doesn't have to step in mud to get to me."

She moved swiftly, her hand raising to slap me hard on my left cheek. I gasped, my eyes wide, my hand coming to cup my cheek.

"You don't fucking talk to me like that. Sin is only with you to make me jealous. Sin will never... - "

Before she could finish that sentence, I moved, slapping her back, and twice as hard, making sure that she would need loads of makeup to cover that mark. I don't even think I need an explanation from Sin to want to drag this bitch down.

Her face swerved violently to the left, her eyes wide, her lips parted.

"I am not about to fight you over a man I am married to. You are the past no one ever revisits because of how insignificant you are. Because you mean fucking nothing."

She looked up, her teeth gritted, her eyes wide. She swallowed, stepping towards me. She was a bit taller, and she stretched her hand to grab the cake she had brought.

"I am fucking dangerous, darling."

"Annalise," I said, my brow raised. "I am Annalise, and you need to leave my room."

She gave a small chuckle. "I will leave. But watch out. Tonight. I will have the bed with your husband... while you cry yourself to stupor on the floor."

I smiled, nodding. "Every harlot ever said that. I wonder how many ended up with child support."

I could see her anger flare even more, her eyes blazing. She broke into a laugh, then nodded, her eyes holding a challenge behind them. Slowly, she brought the cake, stuck her finger in the icing, and then licked it off.

My eyes thinned as she brought her finger to my lips.

"You might need to taste like me for Sin to actually want to lick you off."

I held her hand before she got to my lips, then gave a smile. Slowly, I took the cake out of her hands, then turned it so the icing was facing her.

Slowly, I plastered it on her cheek, the satisfying pat sound causing my smile to widen even more.

"You are so fucking bitter. I am no doctor, but I recommend that three times a day. Maybe you could... actually, be able to let go of that bitterness and be able to keep your dignity."

The cake fell to the floor between us, the icing dragging all over her face. I let her go, my eyes thin. I expected her to stoop even lower. Do something even more stupid. I wasn't raised in the streets to give in to entitled rich bitches like these.

She smiled, then nodded. "We will meet again, Annalise. We will, I assure you."

Slowly, she walked away, leaving me alone once more, her heel crushing the cake beneath her.