The Nature of Cruelty Read Online Free

out what he'd done, and he actually had the gall to blame me for telling on him. 
    “I'm not a little girl anymore, Robert,” I say, my voice hard.
    He smiles in the way a python might smile at its prey if it were capable of facial expressions.
    “No,” he says. “You're certainly not that. You up for going a few rounds in this bed?” he asks, patting the mattress he’s sitting on.
    The way he’s looking at me gives me a strange shiver that radiates down my spine. Is he being suggestive?
    “You’re disgusting.” I tighten my arms, which are folded in a blatant defensive posture across my chest. I’m sure Robert notices this; people like him recognise each and every weak spot in a person’s armour.
    “And you’ve grown into your looks. I wouldn’t mind checking out what’s underneath those god-awful clothes.”
    “Disgusting and shallow,” I add. A small sense of victory runs through me to know that he’s noticed how I’ve lost the teenage skinniness, even if he did just put down my taste in fashion. I guess I might be a small bit shallow myself.
    “Look, Lana, we’re adults now. Why don’t we agree to be friends, for Sasha’s sake if nothing else?”
    “I’m not interested in being your friend.” I keep my voice steady.
    He levels his palms flat on the bed, rubbing them over the duvet cover. I don’t like him touching the sheets on the bed where I’m going to be sleeping. I imagine he knows this, and that’s exactly why he’s doing it.
    “Okay, then, perhaps not friends, but could we at least keep things amicable?”
    I shrug. “Sure, I’m not the rude one here.”
    Robert laughs. “You just called me disgusting and shallow.”
    “That was a statement of fact. Nothing rude about stating a fact.”
    “There is if the fact is offensive.”
    I scoff at that one. “Your ego is so well-honed, Rob, that I don’t think you’re even capable of taking offence to a criticism.”
    “That’s only because you can’t critique perfection,” he answers, and gives me a razor-sharp grin.
    “ Touché .” I roll my eyes just as Sasha comes back into the room.
    “It was work calling,” she says. “Apparently some pop singer has gone off the rails and is on a crazy bender with her friends all around the city. They’ve called me in to cover the story.” She blows out a breath, looking nervous. She’s clearly unsure about leaving me alone in the house with Robert.
    “You go. I’ll be spending the day getting unpacked anyway,” I tell her.
    She smiles. “All right, then, call me if you need anything. I’ll bring dinner home when I’m done. Is Chinese okay for you?”
    “Chinese would be wonderful, sis,” Robert pipes in.
    She gives him a light slap on the head. “I wasn’t asking you, fucker.” She looks to me, waiting for an answer.
    “I like Chinese. Just make sure you get something I can, you know, eat,” I say cryptically. Sasha is one of the few people who know that I have Type 1 diabetes. It’s not something I like to advertise, because I don’t want anybody feeling sorry for me. But it means that I always have to be careful with food.
    Robert glances at me, confused. He’s never known about my condition, and I prefer to keep it that way. Knowing him, he’d probably try to steal my insulin as a practical joke or something.
    “I will — see you two later,” says Sasha before disappearing down the stairs.
    Once he hears the front door slam shut, Robert lets out a cackle and rubs his hands together. “Now I’ve got you all to myself, Lana.”
    “Get out of my room.”
    “This house belongs to my dad, so technically it’s more my room than it is yours.”
    “You do know I’m going to tell Sasha everything you say to me when she gets back. You should be on your best behaviour.”
    God, I heard the shake in my voice just then, and so did Robert. He has this knack for turning me into an anxious little girl. Maybe it’s not such a good idea to be around him after all. And