35 Comments

Love this segment. I know what it is to be in a room white with jealousy and being totally ignored. Not seen it put in print before. It is a great description. I really resonate with this. My exact feelings put into print🙏🏽

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Ugghhhh. Eve’s visceral reaction—all too real, I think I felt myself getting faint alongside her. But so well captured. And Villanelle’s response—loved her unapologetic resistance to Balice’s theatrics while defiantly giving open reassurance to Eve. Such a subtle power move. V has def come a long way since the platform on the North Sea. Also, does this mean their hosts know their actual situation now? Oh man, please tell me this means a change in living quarters, and also that Balice is forced to bunk with the family, too, and is given Eve’s old room...! (I have a feeling she is not done giving our gals a hard time, so I think I just enjoy the idea of torturing her now lol)

No idea how this is going to play out, either between the Twelve and/or Russian govt or Balice and whatever she’s doing with MI6 (I expect not smoothly), but excited to see.

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I do fear Balice trying to get control of a situation she is not in control of and what she will try to do to Eve. At this point our heroines don’t know Eve was the target. I feel if Villanelle knew that, she would end Balice on the spot.

Thank you for Luke for showing Villanelle’s love for Eve. She has grown from the Lara days and I am so glad for it. I appreciate the growth, love and care that comes across in your writing. Hopping V, E and Johnnie can out maneuver Balice and bring her wrecking ball to an abrupt stop. I do feel an eventual demise is in Balice’s future and it feels that it has to be epic. A person tried to kill Eve? Not on Oxana’s/Villanelle’s watch!

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Oh god how I hate Balice! 🤬🤬🤬

Can’t wait to watch Eve destroying her for good. Anyway, still figuring out if Villanelle is being scared and protective for Eve or if she’s just playing bitchy to drive Balice mad…I hope it’s the first one.

Last but not least–I’ve just thought of a subtle reference to ‘Baileys’ Irish cream from Die For Me. I’m not quiet sure if it was done intentionally, but can’t help but think of that resemblance with Lara and all those toxic jealously games. Well, naming was never random I suppose :)

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Truthfully Hristine, I named B after a notice about a lost cat called Balice…

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I hope it wasn’t declawed…

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That's great!

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Haha thanks for charing that.

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Oooooh game on!! 👀💥❤️‍🩹

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Well that just sky rocketed 😬 this has gone next level 💯🔥, must say Balice has guts ! Did not see that coming 🫣and I can’t stand Balice pmsl 🤣 I hope Eve claws the eyes out of her before giving her a painful death 🤣! I just literally fell off my seat , this is crazy 😜 I love it! 💯🔥🤯🎢! They kept asking about Valentin 🤔, Eves thoughts knowing Balice has been close with Villanelle….. I can’t wait for the next instalment, it’s gonna drive me insane 😂 but love it ! Thanks Luke (The mastermind) 👏👏👏back to counting down the days and hours- my gut hit the floor along with my jaw 🤦‍♀️😂🎢

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Balice needs to DIE! Oh, I'd love to kill her myself!😠

I didn't see this coming at all! I can't believe they would all agree to full disclosure with Balice. She still wants Eve dead and Villanelle all to herself, like an object to collect. It worries me because Johnny always seems to be steps ahead of everything...but not this time.

What does that bitch have planned? Is she going to have someone attempt to kill Eve again? Is she going to try to drive a wedge between our girls?

I felt Eve's sickened feelings of rage. The thoughts that melt into your mind with jealousy that physically make you ill. Oh, how it makes me want to crawl into this book and do something!

Always, Luke, fantastic writing!

I can't get enough!🩷

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Balice the Bitch! Of course it would be her turning up like a bad penny. 😠 She is despicable. She has the audacity to address everyone except Eve. Eve is consumed with jealousy and who can blame her? She hates Balice and wants to kill her. So do I! Eve reflects upon the sexual encounter Oxana had with her. It totally upsets her. She can't stand the thought. I love how Oxana attends to Eve and shows everyone her love and concern for Eve. ❤️ I hope someone gives Balice what she deserves! Death! So, what is next for our story? I can't believe that everyone is willing to give Balice full disclosure! Interesting installment to say the least. Of course I can't wait for the next chapter. Thanks Luke! You really described Eve's feelings so well that I felt them too. Anxiously awaiting your next installment!

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Yea, but once again she gets angry with herself but not a word to Villanelle...or that makes her understand that she is annoyed and angry for what she did...🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

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She's thinking 🧠

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I love the sparseness in word choice and sentence structure. Meticulous and the scene in this segment is alive and visceral. I look forward to the next segment. Thank you.

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Balice Smart!

(It's too bad Substack doesn't allow links or images, or I'd be posting a picture of a Pakled* looking moronically self-satisfied.)

Balice thinks she's played Johnny, Villanelle, and especially Eve, and that she knows the score. I don't think she knows just how in over her head she is now....

_____

* For anybody not a Trekker, the Pakleds (https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Pakled ) are an alien race that is the living embodiment of The Dunning-Kruger Effect—Too Stupid to Know how Stupid They Really Are.

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I'm wondering if Valentin is actually in his room or if he has been whisked away by Johnny...because maybe it's his father that's trying to kill him. Or his mother -there is more to her than meets the eye. All in all I suspect Balice has played the wrong card here. It's a brave move, but one done in fear. What's it going to get her? Full disclosure? Never. Not from a room of senior spies. There are too many games going on in that room and the only thing Balice has done is made things more interesting for them. The love Oxana and Eve have could be all consuming if they didn't have their spy games to distract them. I can't see Balice taking Oxana away from Eve unless it's in Oxana's interest to make it appear so. I think Balice turning up at this gathering and acting as though she is the game master has served to do one thing, and that's sign her own death warrant. Bring it on Luke! Thanks for another great read.

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Oxana loves Eve, but can Villanelle resist the thrill of the danger of sleeping with an MI5 agent? As with Lara Farmanyants, the hypothetical relationship between V and B would be sex and killing. It is only Eve that can offer an intellectual connection. A thread of jealousy runs through the story, and it is interesting to see the feeling change hands between E and V. The story can go so many ways, and I love it!

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Late again but that image of Villenelle/O lacing her fingers through Eve’s and running them across her lips as she answers Balice is so simple but oh so sexy. I would’ve melted if I was Eve for certain.

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When even Villanelle is concerned about Eve…it’s bad and can sense Dark Eve reawakening. Balice playing the “enemy of my enemy is my friend to only backstab later” card 😒, can easily see E&V as well as The 12 taking advantage of this later, or perhaps The 12 now having 2 avenues to choose from to scapegoat someone when the end comes around. Let’s hope history repeats itself when Eve has had enough of someone and has a pencil in hand 😏.

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🩸

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The only way I see this ending, is Eve gouging Balicunt's eyes out. 😼👀

And Villanelle, my crush 😍.

Balicunt, might haved control of the room. But not on V & E, Villanelle made sure to silently made Balicunt swallow her own acid vomit. I can only imagine her shoking on her own rancid vomit 🤢🤮😈😼

Shit, I might have to talk about this imaginations, with my therapist 🤔🤪

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Cathy we are all here for you!

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Thank you Luke 🥰 now I can sleep at night 😴

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