dinner which mostly includes various lettuce leaves, a weird speech by two very pregnant women who I lose interest in almost immediately, and some dancing.
This is not what I thought meeting Alex’s friends would be like.
“This has been amazing,” Alex gushes as he holds me in his arms so we can sway to the music just like everyone else. “I have really enjoyed having you here.”
Huh, clearly he can’t sense my mood about it all. Maybe that’s for the best. I don’t want him to think I don’t appreciate him inviting me into his life, just because it’s weird. Soon enough, I’ll have him back to being just mine and life will be perfect once more.
“I like being here with you.”
At least that part is honest. I rest my head on his chest and listen to the beating of his pulse. I slide my eyes closed and block everyone else, putting myself back in my bubble, in my happy place.
Alex is the one, the man who makes me happy. Everything else is worth the hassle, as long as I get to keep him.
“Oh, we need to go and meet Cloud, don’t we?” Alex brings me back to earth with a hard thump. “Or at least you do. This is exciting, isn’t it?”
I say nothing. I want my silence to be enough, but it isn’t.
“Come on.” He tugs my hand and drags me away from the party. “Let’s go now before it’s too late.”
My resistance means nothing. It’s as if he doesn’t even feel it. Alex pulls harder, ensuring I can’t escape. The less I want to go, the more determined he becomes.
“Here we are.” He might as well be trembling in excitement. “Cloud is in there. I wish I could come with you.”
“Then why don’t you? It seems strange me going in alone. I would feel much calmer with you there.”
Alex shakes his head, just like I kinda knew he would. “I can’t. Cloud didn’t ask for me. It’s against the rules.”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. “You are allowed to make your own decisions, you know? You are in charge of you.”
I don’t know why I even bothered, of course Alex is going to look at me like I’ve lost my mind.
“Never mind, don’t worry about it. I’ll just go and speak to Cloud by myself.”
Cloud...honestly. I wonder what his real name is. Obviously he wasn’t given the name Cloud when he was born. I can’t imagine any parents naming their child Cloud and if they did...well, he was always destined to end up doing whatever it is he does here.
Should I have knocked on the door? Probably, but I’m not in the mood for niceties. I storm into Cloud’s room where I find him lying in bed, probably naked.
“Er, maybe I shouldn’t be here.”
I avert my eyes because the last thing I want is a glimpse. Not of him anyway, I was only planning on seeing my boyfriend naked tonight.
“Why would you go?” I can hear the smile in Cloud’s voice. “When I’m expecting you. I want you to climb in bed with me.”
“Why would I do that?”
I’m already edging my way towards the door, looking forward to my escape.
“Because I’m introducing you to our group properly tonight. Alex wants you to stay with us fulltime, which means me and you have to get to know one another.”
“Well, Alex never said that to me. I’m just here to meet his friends, so actually I’m going back home now.”
“He didn’t tell you that you’re the offering?”
Offering...why does he keep saying that like it’s a thing?
“I’m just Juliet.” I force a fake smile on my lips. “No offering, nothing like that. I don’t even know what an offering is...”
Cloud bolts upright, showing me far too much of his body. I don’t want to look but I can’t resist a little peak. He’s surprisingly ripped and I wasn’t expecting those tattoos either. But I can’t be caught staring or he’ll try and get me in bed again.
“Oh, only the most important thing to us.” I don’t enjoy Cloud lighting up. He’s too enthusiastic, it’s unnerving. “The offering is our way of appeasing God. If you listened to my speech before you would know that he is angry because of the ugly place his world has become. We make offerings to him so he doesn’t unleash his wrath upon us. It’s our job to keep the world safe.”
“You know that’s bonkers, right?” I snort and shake my head. “God isn’t