I push one sack of pet food in place. “What are you doing here?”
He strolls inside with his eternal boredom and big cat energy. Lazy, silent, and up to no good.
“I’m wounded in my little heart. No hi, how are you?”
“I don’t think you came here for any his or how are yous. I’m surprised you even know this place exists.”
He leans against the shelf by my side, pouting dramatically. “You’ve become so cold, Cecy.”
I tilt my head to the side. “Doesn’t feel good to be treated the way you treat people, does it?”
“Aww, you still mad about that other time? That happened centuries ago in human years.”
“You might be able to hurt others and forget about it, but that’s not me, Lan.”
“They allowed themselves to be hurt. Who am I not to indulge them?”
“You’re impossible, and there’s no reasoning with you.” I release a sigh. “I honestly don’t know what I liked about you.”
A Cheshire cat grin lifts his lips. “Oh? Is this a confession?”
“No, this is me calling myself daft. I think I liked the idea of you, but when I got close, I realized you’re like your statues. Gorgeous on the outside.” I tap his chest twice. “Empty on the inside.”
“Did you say gorgeous?”
I shake my head. “Just leave, Lan. I have some work to finish up.”
“Not so fast.” He blocks my path, seeming to have gained height as he stares down his nose at me. “See, I know you swapped me for Jeremy, and while I’m wounded in my little black heart, I let it happen because you can help me bring him down.”
“You…knew?”
“About your feelings for me?” He grins. “You couldn’t more obvious, Ces.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“You didn’t; why would I? Besides, it was only a phase, no? Because you somehow got on Jeremy’s radar and you grew to like it. I rooted for you. I even encouraged it. In that fight, I noticed he was looking at you and I wanted to test him, so I said, ‘How does it feel to fancy someone who loves me?’ Kind of got beaten up for it, but confirming he has feelings for you was worth it. The mighty Jeremy in luuurve. Isn’t that poetic?”
I gasp.
So that’s what happened that day. That’s why Jeremy was so mad.
“I don’t love you. I never did,” I say with determination.
It was only a crush. A stupid one that I shouldn’t have had, but I allowed myself to feel it so I could try and forget about the whole Jonah thing.
If I had secret crushes and attraction, then that meant I was alive, or at least, that’s how my brain categorized it.
“That’s what he thought, though.” Lan grins. “Sorry, I mean thinks.”
“Doesn’t matter.” I push past him to organize the opposite shelf. “We’re no longer together, and even if we were, I would never help you hurt him.”
“Are you sure? Because he has a blonde bombshell hanging off his arm and pasting herself to his side like superglue. There’s her mute clone, too.” His voice darkens at the last bit. “The Sokolov sisters are vying for his attention, and if you don’t do something about it, one of them will have him.”
My fingers tighten on the edge of the shelf, but I slowly release it. “He can do whatever he wants. And don’t call her a mute. That’s not nice.”
“I’m not nice.”
“Shocker.” I roll my eyes. “Also, Mia is only around to watch her sister. She didn’t look to be interested in Jeremy.”
“Or that’s what she wants you to think while she slithers around him like a snake.” His voice has lowered to a strange range I’ve never heard him use before.
Lan might look like a charming god, but he’s emotionless, cold, and calculating. This is the first time I’ve seen him show interest or change his tone at the mention of someone.
“Point is, get Jeremy back.” He grins. “This is the last courtesy I’ll offer you before I slice his throat open and sculpt him into the ugliest stone.”
“I’m not helping you, Lan.”
“I don’t want you to help me.” His voice lowers further. “Just take him off the market.”
“Oh. I get it. Is this about Maya? Maybe Mia? Both?”
“Don’t worry your pretty little head about that and just resume whatever weird thing you had with Jeremy.”