thedevilsbckbone

[thedevilsbckbone]

Between work ramping up and allergies kicking my ass, my brain has been too foggy to get to any drafts this week. Hoping this weekend I can get a few replies busted out though.

Thanks for your patience as always my lovely ghoulies.

[thedevilsbckbone]

[thedevilsbckbone]

BILL SKARSGÅRD as KEITH TOSHKO in BARBARIAN (2022)

[thedevilsbckbone]

DIEGO LUNA & GENEVIEVE O'REILLY ANDOR | S02E09 “Welcome to the Rebellion”

[thedevilsbckbone]

Sansa was still basking in the feeling that had overwhelmed her, chest rising with each heavy breath as she tried to catch her breath. She had never experienced anything like that before, not even the few times she had explored herself when she was younger. She could nearly cry and yet as good as it had felt, there was still this ache for more. She had yet to be satiated and as she watched Poe as he stood at the edge of the bed to rid himself of his shirt, Sansa could feel her desire building up once more. Blue hues, dark as a sea at storm, swept over every inch of exposed skin, drinking him in. He was more handsome than any man she had seen.

She let out a small hum of satisfaction as he moved over the bed, bringing his lips back to her skin, trailing up her body. She could feel that heat rising under her skin once again, the desperation to feel more of him growing almost too much to bear. Her hands were everywhere, needing to touch every inch of him that she could. Still, she couldn't hide the small blush that rose up in her cheeks at the filthiness of his words. Her hands moved up the nape of his neck, holding him as she moaned softly against his lips at the praise. She could feel his hardness pressed up against her and for a split second that was a surge of panic that washed over her. She fought to keep the feeling down, knowing that Poe would never hurt her. Up until now, men had done nothing but take and take from her, never asking, never caring about what she wanted—but not Poe.

It only made her realize more the love and appreciation she wanted to make him feel as good as he had made her. She met his gaze, the nerves visible behind her eyes but also that desire as well. "I want you to show me it can be good." One of her hands moved to cup his cheek as she kissed him tenderly. "Help me forget," She muttered softly against his lips. She didn't have to elaborate, knowing Poe knew of whom she spoke of. She could still feel him on her body, the memories tainting her like dirt smeared across her skin that she could never wipe clean. She wanted Poe to help her forget - to think of him and only him. | @molinxsdeviento

Poe's fingers stretched over her thighs as he tasted her, a deep groan leaving his lips as he lapped at her folds and nibbled at her core. His tongue trailing over her, wanting to taste, committing every gasp and moan to memory. His breathing hitched from time to time when she pulled his hair, his teeth almost grating her but thankfully he managed not to--she was soft and needed softness, at least now. He will bite her, suck on her, claim every inch of her. He had barely scratched the surface and had her hips rolling over the bed, aching for more and he wanted to give it to her, all of him, anything she asked. She was so beautiful and god-like all naked for him, with her light skin and red hair spread over her and in bed, and her muffled voice calling his name almost had him making a mess on his pants.

He kept lapping and teasing as she rode her orgasm and continued to do so for a little while as she was calming down, tasting every part of her and pecking her thighs slowly as she calmed. Once he noticed her breath more even, he reluctantly let go of her legs and stood slowly, taking off his shirt and undoing the buttons of his pants without looking away from her and without taking them off.

He leaned over the bed again, knee in between her thighs and trailed open mouthed kisses over her body, a little faster than before--his own need taking over now, before claiming her lips again for a moment. "You taste like heaven and you make the sweetest noises," he breathed against her lips, catching her lower lip in between his. "What do you want me to do to you next?" he offered against her lips, just as his hardon pressed against her core.

[thedevilsbckbone]

Everything had happened so quickly that Desiree had not really had time to process what all was happening. Her defenses went up almost instantly and she lashed out at the only person she cool but as the dust settled and they got further away, it really began to sink in. Desiree watched Graham almost in a state of shock as he went off about how dangerous of a situation she had put herself in being out here. She hated that she knew, deep down, he was right. Had he not been there, who knows what would have happened. A shiver ran up her spine as it finally really dawned on her. She could still feel the adrenaline buzzing in her veins but now that she had a moment to really register what was happening, she had no witty comeback, no sharp remark. All she could do was stare at him, the anger still simmering below the surface but still too susprised to argue back.

However, when he mentioned Aleida, she was quickly reminded of the pain and hurt he had caused her when he had checked out of the relationship after Penny's death. Her sister had practically begged him to fight to keep going, to grieve and heal together, and he done nothing. He seemed to show more concern now than she could remember seeing in those last final months before the divorce had finalized and another wave of anger rose up in her. Desiree met Graham's gaze with a steely look, swallowing as she forced herself to show restraint. "That is rich coming from you," was all she replied in a scoffing remark. After what had happened, Desiree wanted nothing more than to just go home and forget all this mess. It had all been a bust and she was only left feeling more frustrated. She crossed her arms, feeling the cool night air starting to creep through the layers of her sweater as the stench of filth permeated around them, reminding her of where they were and putting her even more on edge. She watched as he rummaged for his keys, caught off guard for a moment at the sound of him laughing. Her brows knit together as she eyed wearily but when he spoke she did not argue—he wasn't wrong, after all.

She watched him get into the car but made no move at first to get in due to her stubbornness. She glanced around, feeling loathed to go with him but she didn't really have any other choice. With a frustrated sigh, she begrudgingly relented and reached to open the passenger side door when he pleaded with her to get in, dropping into the seat with an annoyed grumble. "Fine. You can drop me off at my car, it's just over on 2nd in a parking garage." She didn't look at him, keeping her eyes ahead, crossing her arms over her chest again like a petulant child. | @rxtualistic

"The fuck is my problem?!" Stopping dead in his tracks, Graham turned to look at her with an expression that was the perfect mix of pure bewilderment and utter disbelief. In that part of town, things could get bad too quickly even for someone used to transiting the city's darkest corners. For a woman who believed herself to be about two hundred percent more badass than she was? It was a matter of a split second. And yet, here she was, scolding him for saving her. As if he had committed the most heinous crime known to man. Someone up there must be having a blast testing his patience. Maybe it was all a sick joke to see how long it would take him to crack. "Do you have a fucking dead wish?!!!" Despite his reluctance, he loosed the grip on her wrist when she demanded to be freed. "You could be dead right now! Just a decomposing corpse in some ditch, slowly rotting away while every person who has ever loved you goes mad looking for you." Arms flailing in the air, eyes slightly too wide, he looked demented. "You know how many times I have seen it — people who are incapable of losing hope, who persist despite knowing they will never see their loved one again?" He paused, knowing fully well what he was about to say was especially cruel. "Do you want to put your sister through that?"

The air around them grew heavier — the putrid stink of piss and vomit emanating from every corner made the situation even more unbearable. Graham held her gaze long before dropping it to the floor, one hand coming to thread through his too-long locks before settling at the back of his neck. He pitched the bridge of his nose, sighing heavily as his other hand rummaged through his many pockets in search of the car keys. The mention of his failed marriage prompted a shake of the head from the man. But, surprisingly, her comment earned a genuine chuckle from him. "As if you wouldn't have been the first to know if I had ever done something remotely similar." He had never doubted that whatever his wife knew, so did his sister-in-law. In fact, he was pretty sure Des knew more about his marriage than he himself. "Come on, get in the car," he urged pleadingly, sitting behind the steering wheel and leaning over to look at her through the rolled-down co-pilot's window.

[thedevilsbckbone]

Pınar Deniz and Uraz Kaygılaroğlu in Aktris, episode 1.04

[thedevilsbckbone]

[thedevilsbckbone]

After they had parted ways, Elliot had to all but force himself not to instantly text Novalee right away. He had to play it cool, not wanting to come off too strong. He gave it two days, which he figured was sufficient enough, and then used the excuse of just checking up on the panel to talk to here. Then they continued to text one another from there on out. She would send him photos of her reading The Green Mile and he would in turn send her photos of Brutal lounging about. They would exchange casual conversation and it didn't go unnoticed by some of his buddies that he was spending a lot more time staring down at his phone with a big ass grin. They hounded him about it but he was still pretty tight lipped about it, not quite ready to explain how exactly he'd met her.

Then not long after, they agreed to meet up for coffee so that Nova could finally meet Brutal. It was another perfect excuse that EJ was not ashamed to jump on. Once the arrangements were made and the day rolled around, EJ felt himself growing more and more excited. He wanted to make a good impression so he decided to dress nice, figuring an olive button down polo over a pair of fitted black slacks was better than a plain t-shirt and jeans but still casual enough. He still chose to wear a pair of vans though since he'd be taking Brutal with him and needed to be ready to chase the hulking beast down if needed. He was worried they'd be late after the dog decided that was the best time to want to use the restroom, so he had to speed walk over to the cafe after he was done, which was luckily not too far from where they lived so he still ended up arriving before her.

"Hey!—Yeah, it's great to see you too. You look nice," he complimented once she greeted them at her arrival. He wondered if he should go for a hug with her arms full of books but before he could decide, Brutal had jumped up from his spot and began nudging her for attention, tailing wagging rapidly. Get in line, buddy. "Oh no, you're good. We just got here only a couple minutes ago because someone—" he said glancing towards Brutal as he continued. "—decided to take his sweet time going potty before we left." He chuckle as he playfully chastised the pooch who paid him no mind as he basked in Nova's scratched. He nodded as she suggested they sit. "Yeah, I figured this table here is good." He said, motioning to the one closest to them on the outdoor patio. "I like this place because they'll come out and take our orders which is great for when I have him with me." He said, motioning towards Brutal as he moved to pull out one of the chairs for her to take a seat. "After you," he offered with a smile. "Did you come straight from class?" | @sarawritesx

[time skipitty skip]

Next couple of days were passing by quickly, and what made those days even better was some texting back and forth between the two. Just when he was invading her mind a bit too often, and wanting to text him, Elliot reached out asking about the alarm and if it was bothering her still. She'd send him pictures of reading 'Green Mile' between her breaks at the uni, and before she knew it they have arranged to meet up for coffee so she could meet his dog, Brutal.

That day she had some things to finish at the uni library, but got dressed up maybe a bit more than usually for that occasion. She tried not to make it so obvious she was seeing a guy today, but the fact she put her favorite perfume on and did a half up-do with her hair said a lot to some of her friends at campus. Looking at her wrist watch, the large lilac backpack with many pins hanged on her right shoulder, a couple of books rested in her left one, holding them up with her side as she hurried towards the location. She couldn't stop thinking if she picked the right dress - a white one with many blue flowers onto it, giving perfect spring vibes, combined with oversized denim jacket and all-star on her feet. But there was no time to change anything even if she wanted to, as Nova took the turn around the corner and spotted Elliot with the large dog just at his feet, waiting for her. Approaching them from the side, he turned just in time and her features lightened up with a big smile.

"Hey, you two! It's so nice to see you again, Elliot."she murmured quiet nervously, for a moment not sure if she should go for a hug or extend her hand to him. But before she could do anything, Brutal nudged her free hand with his big snout and licked the back of her palm. "Hey, big guy! Oh you are so freaking cute!"Novalee began petting his head and scratching behind his ear immediately. "Hope you didn't wait too long for me, I was very fast on my feet. Which says a lot for someone as short as me."she chuckled and glanced at the cafe. "Shall we sit down?" @thedevilsbckbone

[thedevilsbckbone]

Maité's gaze swept over the table, feeling that rush that came with knowing she was right about something. She felt a bit of her nerves growing as well, being so close to that many instruments of death. He killed people with these things, she realized. She tentatively reached out with her free hand, feeling as compelled as she was cautious. Right as her fingers were about to touch one of the pistols, the lights suddenly flickered on and Maité jumped back with a startle.

She whipped her head at the sound of someone, feeling her heart jump up into her throat and race wildly when her eyes landed on Frank. Her fight or flight kicked in then and she scrambled to grab the first thing she could to try and defend herself, her hand finding the handle of a knife and grasping it as she held it out in front of her. "Don-don't come any closer." She said nervously, licking her lips as she felt her entire body buzzing with adrenaline and fear.

She eyed him skeptically, unsure of what to say or do when he spoke again, asking if she wanted coffee. It didn't make any sense to the brunette and she wondered if this was some kind of ruse. She glanced around nervously, cautious not to look away from him for too long in case he tried something funny. Not that it would make a lick of difference, she knew. She wouldn't stand a chance against him but she wouldn't go down without at least some fighting chance.

However, when he didn't make any advancement towards her and instead just continued to look at her expectantly while he awaited an answer, Maité began to relax a little. Not enough to put the knife down right away but at least she wasn't outwardly fearing for her life. Her brows knit together as she stared at him in confusion. "Coffee?" She asked bewildered, eyes still bouncing between trying to find a quick escape route and him.

"I—I don't understand." She'd broken into his place, had seen his stuff and obviously knew who he was, and yet he was offering her something to drink like it was no big deal. She didn't know what to make of that, or him. | @amomentxofhappiness

Frank had been tailing her for a while. He had read what she wrote, she seemed to have a backbone and didn't take shit. Didn't take bribes either. He was intrigued by her and he wasn't sure he wanted his side of the story told but if he did, she'd be the one to hear it. He just needed to make sense of it all.

At first it was a casual thing but then he noticed that someone else was tailing him and one night, they tried mugging her--the guy had a silencer so it wasn't a mugging but wanted to make it look like it was. So he took care of it. And that's when she started looking for him.

It was a little funny, leaving her clues and seeing her figure other things out. It was terrifying in an exciting way. And one day she found his home. He pretended not to notice at first, wanted to see if she'd be any good at surveillance, if she'd notice the little things he had all over the building to give away intruders. It was a good thing he liked thus place abd hadn't set off boobie traps.

When she broke in (was it really a break in if the building wasn't his and he had left the window opened?) he waited for her in the shadows next ti the power switch, mug of warm coffee in his hand. He watched her snoop here and there and then walk towards the workshop table, facing towards him though he was hiding from her flashlight. She seemed to be happy (maybe?) from her tone so it was time for a little game.

Taking a sip of his coffee, he switched the lights on, blinking a few times. "Boo," he said trying to keep a straight face and not grin.

"Would you like some coffee?"

[thedevilsbckbone]

reblog if you are firmly against the use of AI in roleplay spaces. this is not the place for AI-written drivel or generated images.

[thedevilsbckbone]

Tilly grinned when he cheered and pumped his fist in the air, laughing softly in amusement at his goofiness. She always liked people who didn't take themselves too seriously and could keep up with her playfulness. It made life more fun. She gave a small nonchalant shrug at his question. "Not exactly, I actually grew up in foster care most of my childhood but I was a bit of a hellion so I got bounced around a lot from home to home, so sometimes I'd end up somewhere with a bunch of other kids for a time." She explained casually with another small chuckle. She never minded talking about her upbringing, even if it wasn't the most conventional.

"Okay good," she said with a nod of approval after he assured her of no other girlfriend, fake or otherwise. Then he'd mentioned making her a list of recipes that would not only be easy to follow but that also kept her lifestyle in mind. Well, wasn't he the considerate type. He continued to surprise her. "I mean, I get it. We stan the og cooking queen—" she said over the music. "—but yeah I know better than that unless I want to end up in tears or with my place burned to the ground." She joked.

As the music in the club grew bouncier and more people made their way to the dance floor, Tilly found herself tapping along to the melody. Then Elio was asking if she wanted to dance and the blonde couldn't hide her excitement as she nodded. "I'd love to!" She said rising from her seat, slowly walking backwards towards the dance floor, swaying along to the music as she beckoned him to follow with a come hither motion of her finger and a smile. | @celestialmuses

He waited in anticipation as she hummed and hawed, knowing full well that it was a joke. Still, he wanted her to agree that he was worth 4 stars. 4 stars of what didn't matter, it was just the idea. "Fuck yeah! 4 stars for Elio!" He cheered, pumping his fist into the air once. The bar was a little crowded and he didn't want to clock anyone in the jaw. "Oh why? Did you live with your extended family? A bunch of rowdy boys?" He asked. Maybe it made him a wuss, but after hearing stories from friends about growing up with brothers, Elio was glad he hadn't. He was sensitive and they would've killed him.

"Oh sure! Don't worry though, no other fake girlfriends but you. Or real girlfriends for that matter. You know, if that was a concern. I mean, you've met my last real girlfriend, so that probably explains a lot." He joked. Before, just the thought of his ex would've brought him down immediately. But with Tilly, he was in such a good mood, he wasn't bothered.

"Same. It's kind of required. But I completely understand your point of view. There are so many great dishes that aren't complicated or expensive to make. But people start with Julia Child and quit. I can make a little list of stuff I think you'd like. Stuff to help keep your energy up when you're performing." He said over the sound of the music around them switching to something louder and bass heavy. "Do you want to dance?"

[thedevilsbckbone]

Sergio always thought that Lorena had a bit of flair for the dramatic, watching as she threw her hands up in the air and having to resist the urge to roll his eyes at her as she then moved to get in his face, jabbing at his chest. He was used to it at this point, all the back and forth, the disagreements and the dramatic. He swatted her hand away with his own, not being too rough about it. "Right, of course I'm not and of course you could," he said sarcastically with a nod of his head before he leaned down a little so his face was mere inches from her own as he continued. "Yet here you are anyway." He leaned back again, giving her a smug smirk. That's how this always was with her. One minute she seemed to hate his fucking guts and then the next she was asking him for favors, and like a sucker, Sergio always eventually gave in because in the end he knew there was always something to gain through all the headache. And sure, maybe deep down, he still in some ways cared about her and craved being near her - no matter how much of a pain in his ass she could be.

Then of course there was the prospect of her proposition. Sergio wasn't any kind of thug or hardened criminal by any means—he dealt weed on the side to help keep himself afloat—but he wasn't exactly a model citizen either. He'd cheated, gambled and stolen plenty in his life. It was a dog eat dog world they lived in and sometimes to survive you had to do some less than morally sound things. Sergio couldn't deny that the offer was tempting. With the marijuana industry growing, the market became much more saturated and his clientele had dwindled over the years. Pills though, that was always a hot commodity. He could make a good profit if the supply was high enough. That gave him pause and he looked at Lorena as he weighed the offer. "And how exactly do you plan on robbing the medical station?" He quirked a brow, curious now on how she planned to pull off such a plan. | @rxtualistic

"Fine," Lorena exclaimed pointedly, throwing her hands in the air in exasperation. "Don't help me rob the medical station!" With an exaggerated roll of the eyes, she turned to leave before deciding that no, she wasn't done. "I don't — I don't even need your help, you know that?" Cutting the short distance between them in two long steps, she dangled an accusatory finger in front of his face. "I can find someone else willing to help me out!!" Because, of course, plenty of people were volunteering to commit a crime, even if for the right reasons. "You. Are. Not. That. Special." Each word was punctuated by her finger poking his chest.

Arms crossed over her chest at the mention of a reward. With a roll of the eyes, her lips pursed into an annoyed curl before speaking. "What do you want, Sergio? You know I have no money." An idea crossed her mind. "You can keep the lorazepam. The clinic doesn't need that, and it should sell good on the streets. Plenty of depressed rich suburban moms on the lookout for something to give their lives some meaning."

[thedevilsbckbone]

[thedevilsbckbone]

@amomentxofhappiness

DEX and EM One Day - S01E01 // S01E04

[thedevilsbckbone]

Tilly could hardly hold back her laughter when Essam mentioned them both having garlic breath, joking about if it would cancel out when they kissed. It was never an if they would, just a when. Now that they other's weren't around, they were free to be much more hands on with one another, which both seemed to take instant advantage of. She felt as his hands move from around her hips to rest on her ass and Tilly smirked as she hilted her head to the side, pursing her lips as if pretending to mull it over. "Hmm, we could always test that theory out. Hell—even if it doesn't I'm sure we can just bum some mints or gum off of someone." She shrugged, still leisurely caressing up and down his arm with one of her hands.

When he mentioned how he would prefer to stay and make out with her until the band went on, Tilly could feel a rush of excitement run through her, grinning against his lips as he moved to plant a kiss for emphasis. As much as she wanted to say yes to that, she knew he was probably hungry and should probably eat something after such a energetic performance. Especially if she wanted him at the top of his game for later than even when they got back to the hotel. Still, a thought came to her and she smirked as she moved one of her hands up to cup his cheek. "Well, the line did move pretty fast. It only took me about 10 minutes to get my food—Soooo that does give us 10 minutes to kill." she said in a velvetly murmer, lifting a suggestive brow as she brought her lips back to his in a much more passionate kiss than before. While she was looking forward to catching some of the other band's set, Tilly wasn't in any real particular rush. Not when she finally had Essam all to herself again after all that time apart. | @sarawritesx

Essam felt a shudder run up his back as her long nails scratched along his shoulders, hands resting on her hips and keeping her close to him. A knowing smirk stretched across his lips after confirming she did see him flexing, the drummer couldn't deny just how much he loved having her eyes on him. Knowing that when she was out there, watching them perform and enjoying herself, she'd look his way. There was no way to know when will they see the rest of the boys, but he assumed not before they got back to the hotel, if they do not regroup here before heading back. But to him it didn't matter, they already spend so much time together when touring, and he wanted more alone time with Tilly.

"A fruit sando sounds amazing."he mused, a chuckle following at her bringing up the garlic noodles. "Well, if we both have those garlic noodles and get the stinky breath, does it cancel it out when we kiss?"he joked and gripped at her hips a bit more firmly before leading them to her behind, resting them there. As she mentioned wanting to see Rebel Monday who's show started in about twenty minutes, Essam shrugged and grinned at her. "What do I want to do? If I'm being honest..."he mused, catching the way her piercing blue hues glanced at his lips for the shortest of moments. "I'd stay here and make out with you until the show started."he commented, and sealed his statement with a kiss planted onto her lips, short yet firm. "Although, that fruit sando does sound very tempting, too."he teased, the hands that rested on her behind giving her cheeks a squeeze. @thedevilsbckbone

[thedevilsbckbone]

A couple of days, Evan had told her after they had parted ways. A couple of days for her to stew in her anxiety trying to figure out what the hell had happened and further more what was going to happen from here on out. She was left in the dark, unsure what to do or who to talk to, not even venturing further than the hotel lobby for fear of who was watching her. She'd left her phone off per Evan's suggestion, having to use her laptop once her things were dropped off just to be able to try and keep in contact with people back home and work. She felt like she was in some kind of witness protection or something. Only Evan had insisted in not having the cops involved.

She tried keeping her mind occupied with continuing to get her parents' things in order, trying to arrange for her mother to be cremated so she could take her back home once all was said and done and still getting the house in order to put up for sale. However, that only served to put even more stress on the blonde as her father's debts and grievances only seemed to continue to accumulate. She felt like she was going mad. The only thing that really seemed to keep her from completely breaking down was the lavish soaking tub in the bathroom that Evie spent at least a couple hours in each night before laying down for a restless sleep wondering if the next day she'd finally hear from Evan.

Then three days later, a knock came to her door and Evie padded quietly over to the door to see Evan standing on the other side. Instantly her heart began to quicken at the sight of him, the undeniable relief that came over her making her rush to unlock the door to let him in. Only he wasn't alone she realized, seeing the worker pushing a tray of food behind him. She looked between the two men with a quizzical look before Evan was speaking, mentioning how she wasn't eating. She frowned, wanting to argue that she had, just that she hadn't done it on his dime. It hadn't felt right so she had gone down to one of the hotel cafes and got herself a couple of sandwiches and pastries to snack on. In truth though, she knew she hadn't been eating as much as she should but the stress and anxiety had really hindered her appetite.

Evie moved further into the room, standing awkwardly as she watched the worker set the various plates onto the table. Her eyes met Evan's when he brought up her eating again and she gave a small shrug. "I haven't been very hungry all that much. Been dealing with a lot of stuff." She said, trying to brush off his concern. "I've been fine though." She lied, unconvincingly even to herself. She watched as he tipped the worker, catching once again that it wasn't just a couple of dollars, before they were left alone together. Still feeling a little unsure, Evie didn't move from her spot until after Evan had sat and poured himself a glass of wine, telling her he'd answer her questions if she sat down. So, finally she conceded, moving to take a seat in the chair he'd pulled out for her and reaching over to pluck a french fry from one of the plates, taking a bite. She raised her brows at him as she chewed slowly —There, happy? —Her expression read.

The most frustrating part, the fry was actually pretty damn good and it was at that moment that she realized how hungry she actually was. She tried to think back to the last thing she ate, realizing she'd had nothing but coffee and water over the past few hours. It was a little irritating to realize that he still caught on to these things with her after all these years. She popped the rest of the fry into her mouth after finishing the first bite, starting to reach for another.

She'd come up with so many questions over the last few days, had planned out whole conversations in her head on how best to approach all of this. Yet despite all that effort, Evie still found it hard to figure out how to approach this asdelicately. She realized though there wasn't really anything delicate about any of this and if she really wanted answers, she was just going to have to be forward, as anxious as it may have made her. Then again, being left in the dark felt even worse.

Which elephant should she address first was the real question. The turn of phrase was almost ironic as Evie thought about it, since she was sure the room they currently sat in was probably big enough to actually fit an elephant in. "What kind of work do you do?" She finally asked, meeting his gaze. "I mean all this—" she said, glancing around the room as she waved her empty hand around in the same general direction. "—it's kind of overwhelming." Not bad per say, just nothing like what she'd ever been used to before. "And then you have people to watch over me and everything is so hush hush. I feel like I'm being kept out of the loop of something but what that is exactly? I don't know." She said with a small sigh, shaking her head. "What is all this Evan?" She asked, brows knit together softly, eyes pleading for him to help her make sense of everything. | @rxtualistic

Despite what it might look like from the outside, Evan wasn't trying to display his wealth or power — it wasn't a twisted move to show the blonde how much his life had improved from the last time they had seen each other, how he his promises about a life that suited them both hadn't been empty, or even worse, the naive dreams of a foolish teenager. He wasn't trying to impress anyone. And yet, the last thing that would occur to him would be to fault her if that were to be her conclusion. It would have been a logical one, too. The boy he had once been would have pulled that move, desperate as he was to find a place in a world that insisted on making him invisible. He had been an inconvenience; poor, troubled, and loud. Unwilling to accept the fate his family had set for him. Refusing to stay quiet and abide by the rules of society. Poor people were fine as long as they knew their place, as long as they didn't question why they had to be poor while others amassed all the money. Even at sixteen Evan had refused to watch his mother and brother lose their home. And that had made him dangerous. Funny enough, that was true.

The man Evie had known would have crawled out of his own skin if that pleased the right people, the ones that needed to be impressed. But the man Evie had known wasn't the man standing next to her in one of the most luxurious elevators created by mankind. Evie had always been a smart girl — now woman — surely she must have already figured as much. That was one question that didn't need to be answered. But there were still many more, and so little time. It shouldn't have taken him by surprise when the blonde chose the least expected route to begin her interrogation. Evie had always had a way to astonish him. Maybe there was still some of that boy full of dreams inside of him, after all. Silence took over the small space as he thought about his answer. Why was he helping her? Evan hadn't stopped to think about it. He hadn't had the time to ponder the motives of his actions. Deep down, he knew that wouldn't have changed the outcome. They would still be in the same elevator, going up to a room most people could only afford in their dreams, wondering what tomorrow would bring. He didn't dare speak until the crystal doors chimed, opening to reveal a light grey hallway decorated with big chandeliers and ornamented carpets. "I suppose I have a soft spot for blonde damsels in distress," he finally replied, falling into easy step next to her on their way to the only door with a number on the floor. Even though his voice sounded dead serious, there was a hint of mischief behind the flatness of his voice.

He stopped when they reached the room, leaning over to open the door before offering her the extra key the woman at reception had given him. "I have to go, but I'll send a couple of my people to keep an eye around." Out of habit, his eyes scanned the area, looking for the exits and quickly forming an escape plan just in case they were ambushed. When his gaze found her face, it softened. She looked exhausted, small, and vulnerable. "I have only heard good things about the room service, you should order a bit of everything and get back to me with your impressions." Tentatively, the man placed one of his hands on her shoulder and gave her a little squeeze. "Try to sleep. I will see you in a couple of days."

Exactly three days later, Evan knocked on her door. Behind him, a waiter from room service carrying a large tray full of plates covered by metal lids of varying sizes. "You have not been eating," he said in the form of a greeting, walking past her and politely holding the door open for the employee. "I told you to eat," he added, silently watching as the young man set the table perfectly. The confirmation that Evie had not been taking proper care of herself came in double form — per his bank account that had not seen any charges and by his men, who, as promised, had been checking on her ever since he left. When the work was done, he thanked him with a fat tip and closed the door behind him. Turning to the blonde, he took in her appearance before sighing. One hand signaling towards the table, the other running through his slicked-back hair. He opened a chair for her and then walked over to the other side of the table, took a seat of his own in front of hers, and opened a wine bottle before pouring himself a large glass. "You need to eat." His tone became softer, almost pleading if pleading were something he would do.

"I will answer all your questions, but please, take a seat."