What We Do in the Night (Day to Night #1) - Stylo Fantome Page 0,74

he did to her was beautiful, she'd informed Ari. The pleasure and the pain distracted her from her real life, he realized. He could understand indulging in pleasure to forget life's woes, but he wondered how much stress it took to make a person start seeking pain as a relief. How much exhaustion was needed to make a person beg for release.

To make them beg for someone else to take control.

“I don't like you,” he whispered. “I can't like you, Valentine. Your life is going off the rails, and mine is on a set track. So don't start thinking this is something more than it is, because it's not. It can't be. It never will be.”

But of course, Valentine was sleeping, so the only ears his words reached were his own.

Which was perfect, because to be fair, he was the one who really needed to hear them the most.

14

After her sex filled weekend, going back to school on Monday felt strange. Walking around crowds of normal people, knowing she wasn't like them. She'd always felt that way, but now she really knew it was true. None of the other girls worked at a secret underground nightclub, none of them sold their company to men desperate for attention.

The only real distraction she got was between two of her classes, she got to go down to the agency and she found a wonderful nurse to start working those evening hours. She'd invited Ari to come with her, in case he wanted to argue over pricing or whatever, but he'd declined – he was setting his schmooze-fest and would be stuck at work. He'd given her free reign to hire the most expensive nurse she could find.

Tuesday at school wasn't any better than Monday, and she felt like an impostor more than ever. She tugged at the collar of her thick turtleneck, and she ducked her head as she walked through the hallways, avoiding talking to anyone. She tucked Saint Valentine way deep down inside herself and hoped regular ol' Val still knew how to be normal.

It didn't help that Ari kept sending her dirty texts. She normally didn't bring her burner phone to school on Mondays and Tuesdays – why would she need to? She didn't work at the club on those days, and that's the only reason she had the phone.

But just knowing Ari might message her had caused her to grab the cell at the last moment and drop it into her backpack.

I'm bored.

Stop bothering me, I'm at school.

I don't care. I keep thinking about Sunday night. Keep thinking about what I'm going to do to you next time.

Valentine smirked to herself and quickly typed out a response.

Who said there'll be a next time?

Please. If I showed you how hard I am right now, you'd be here in twenty minutes.

She didn't want to argue with him, mainly because he was right.

You're a big boy, you can take care of yourself.

You're coming over tonight. I have that schmooze dinner at seven, so be here around nine.

Maybe if you're lucky I'll show up.

Maybe if you're lucky, I won't gag you this time.

Valentine was laughing as she walked into class, but it quickly dried up when she looked at her usual desk. Harper was sitting at the one in front of it, also as usual, and she was holding court with a couple of her friends. They were all gossiping about some girl.

Oh yeah, that's right, Harper. She still exists. Funny how I always seem to forget her.

“Have a good dinner?” the blonde sneered as Val made her way to her seat.

“It was great. How was yours?” she replied.

Of course, what she really wanted to say was “great – and then I had your ex-boyfriend for dessert, you awful bitch”, but she figured that wouldn't exactly help her grade in their group project. So she decided to fight fire with sweetness.

“Oh, fantastic,” Harper sighed. “It's one of my favorite restaurants. It was probably your first time there, huh.”

“Yup.”

“It was so crazy, running into you and Ari like that,” Harper attempted to sound casual and failed miserably. “You all know I had to let him go last week, but seeing him again, you know how it is. Let's just say it was a long night and a great morning at my place.”

Liar.

Valentine's jaw dropped. She knew it was a lie because she had spent a long night and a great morning at Ari's place. In fact, she'd only left long enough to attend classes