BLUE BLOOD

38 | as long as it's you

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[entry]

"I'm a Du Sang."

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"Erik?" my heart pounded. I tried to push his arm off but it didn't move.

"Vesper," Erik leaned in closer, trapping me against the door. I flinched at the proximity, still confused by that interaction. "Do you need more evidence to convince you otherwise of Avery Dragomir?"

I stared at him for a long moment, before saying carefully, "You sent Sasha. You planned all of that, didn't you, Erik?"

Erik looked at me in surprise before carefully admitting, "Yes. I gave her the idea and arranged for the situation to happen."

"Who is she to you? Cousin?" I asked, but then assessed his expression. "No, she's your ex, isn't she?"

"Correct," Erik muttered. "As always."

"I'm leaving." I shoved him away and this time, he let me. "As always."

"If you leave, I'll make sure everyone has the wrong impression about us," he warned and I froze in my tracks. "You will leave until I say you can."

Fury kindled in me. I forgot how dangerous Erik could be. What had I expected? For him to stay out of everything? No, he was too possessive, too ambitious, too resourceful to not use this as leverage.

What did he want from me?

"Don't forget that Sasha Laurence is alone in a room with Avery Dragomir. No boy has been able to resist her," Erik taunted me, watching me struggle to keep my expression neutral.

Did Avery guess? Did he guess that Sasha had been playing him?

I let out a careful breath. "Avery will find out," I reminded him, before deciding to bluff. "He already has."

Erik's scheme had clearly been calculated. If he had so much confidence in telling me his plan, there was no doubt he had a back up. He would force me to his will this time.

"Does he?" Erik laughed, taking a seat. He gestured to the seat across from him, and of course, I had to take it. "Because it doesn't seem like it to me."

I gritted, through my teeth, "You're a cold hearted bastard."

"As always," Erik smiled.

Ah, what the fuck. He deserved what was coming for him. I assessed the situation before composing myself. "What do you want from me?"

Erik watched me as if he knew I'd ask this. I was walking step by step into his plan with a blind cover for my eyes. Still, I had a chance if I played my cards right.

"What do you think I want?" his eyes slowly made their way down my body.

I clenched my teeth tighter. "Other than me?"

He smiled lazily. "Yes, darling."

I was feeling sick for another reason. "It was Sasha. Sasha told Shannon our relationship was fake." My throat closed up. "Sasha knew Ella."

"Best friends," Erik was quiet for a moment or two. "Strange isn't it? I've known the blue bloods as children, but your father never let you leave your side of the island. I was the only other island inhibiting that could visit."

"Don't let it get to your head."

He chuckled. "Which one?"

I sat there straight, unblinking, with no reaction. Erik Solar was holding me hostage. "Son of a bitch."