“Do you like it?” Ocean asks, following my line of sight, and I nod.
“I do. It's just so big,” I admit, and she snorts.
“That's what she said.”
A burst of laughter ripples from my chest. “Why do we have the jokes of a pubescent child?” I mutter, and she holds her hand in the air.
“Trauma, baby,” she sings, and I grin.
“I’ll cheers to that,” I reply, clinking my glass of water against hers.
All too quickly, we demolish the pizzas. I look down at the bags I’ve gathered in disbelief, wondering how we’re supposed to carry so much when I feel like I’m in a food coma. As if sensing my thoughts, a shadow casts over the table, and I look up in surprise to find a vampire towering over us, stuffing his hands into his pockets.
“What are you doing here?” I blurt, and Kael nods toward my friend across the table. “Ocean called in a favor,” he states, and I turn to her with narrowed eyes, but she shrugs me off quickly.
“Doyouwant to carry all of this back?”
My eyebrows furrow. “It won't fit on a bike,” I reply, aware of what this guy drives, and the smirk on his face tells me he's remembering the night I found out.
“I have a car as well,” he states, and I huff.
Ocean has a point, and Kael’s willing to help.
“I’m not gonna say no,” I mutter in defeat, and Ocean beams.
“Okay, we just need to pay,” she states, waving the server over, who's at our side a moment later with the card machine ready to go. Kael pulls his card out, moving toward the machine at the same time I do, but Ocean grabs his arm, quickly stopping him.
“Let her do it,” she murmurs, nodding at me.
He frowns in confusion, shaking his head. “Why does it matter?”
With him distracted, I quickly eliminate the rest of the distance and pay for the food, and my smile spreads with joy.
I actually just paid for this.
I've never felt freer in my whole entire life, even though I’m still trapped in this prison that The Sanctum assigned me to.
“What's going on?” Kael asks, eyeing me as he runs his hands through his hair.
“That's for her to tell,” Ocean states, and Kael cocks his brow at her, but she simply shakes her head, refusing to offer anything else.
He turns his prominent stare my way and I wag my finger at him. “Just because I forgive Rion doesn't mean I've forgiven you,” I grumble, standing to reach for my bags.
“You forgive Rion,” he blurts, and my spine stiffens as I take him in.
“No,” I lie, and he rolls his eyes.
“Of course. Are we leaving?” he says, reaching for my bags before I can even wrap my fingers around them.
“I can do that myself,” I insist, and he sighs.
“It's quicker for me to do it,” he states, liftingmy little Highland cow, and I snatch it from his grasp quickly.
“A plushie?” he questions, and I glare at him.
“Yes,” I grumble defensively, and he smirks.
“What's his name?”
