All three of them go still.
"Don't know," Kade says after a beat. "He left last night and hasn't come back."
My stomach drops. "Is that... normal?"
"For Tank?" Jinx shrugs. "Sometimes he needs space. Drives around on that bike until his head clears."
I don't know what to say to that. Can't help but feel like it's just an excuse for the fact that he clearly hates me even more than the rest of them do.
We eat in uncomfortable silence, the only sound the scrape of forks against plates. I can feel Kade watching me the entire time, studying every movement like he's trying to figure out if I'm playing a game—and if I am, what that game is, and how he can win.
Kade isnothingif not competitive.
"So, what am I supposed to do today?" I ask finally, pushing my empty plate away. "Since it's the weekend and apparently I'm not allowed to make decisions."
Kade leans back in his chair, arms crossed. "We've got shit to handle. You can entertain yourself until we get back."
"Entertain myself." I repeat the words slowly, like Kade does when he's being dramatic as fuck, tasting the condescension on my tongue and enjoying the way he glowers at me like he knows exactly what I'm doing. "Like what, watch TV? Paint my nails? Sit pretty in my cage and wait for my owners to return?"
"Sounds perfect." Kade's smirk is vicious. "Maybe work on your obedience while you're at it."
"Fuck you."
"Not today, Princess." He stands, grabbing his plate and dumping it in the sink without rinsing it. "Maybe after you learn some manners."
"Manners?" I'm on my feet before I can think, anger flooding my veins. "You want to talk aboutmanners? You're the one who threatened to use me as your personal fucktoy?—"
"I don't threaten, Ellie." He's in my space again, close enough that I can smell black coffee on his breath. "Ipromise. And you're not my fucktoy. You're ourpet. There's a difference."
"Enlighten me."
"A fucktoy gets used and discarded." His hand comes up, fingers wrapping around the collar at my throat. My mouth goes bone dry and my heart restarts like someone just slammed paddles against my chest. "Apetgets kept. Fed. Protected. As long as she's good."
"And if I'm not good?" My voice is tight, even though the hand around my throat isn't gripping.
His thumb traces the line of the collar and my pulse jumps. His steely gray eyes darken as they drift to my throat and I can practically feel his gaze as solidly as his fingertips. "Then you get disciplined."
"You're sick," I whisper, even as heat pools low in my belly.
"Yeah." His other hand comes up to cup my face, thumb brushing across my cheekbone next. "And you should have thought about that before you sold yourself to us, Princess."
I briefly consider biting his thumb.
He lets me go before I can add another scar to his collection, turning away like the moment never happened. "We'll be back by six. Be a good girl and stay put."
My challenge is automatic. "And what if I don't?"
Kade pauses in the doorway and looks back with a dark light in his eyes that goes straight to my fucking core, as pissed as I am. "Then we'll have to hunt you. And trust me, Princess, youdon'twant us to have to do that."
They file out. Kade first, then Cyrus after grabbing his laptop, Jinx pausing just long enough to flash me an almost apologetic smile that's familiar enough to sting. The front door slams, and moments later I hear the rumble of engines pulling away.
I flip off the empty doorway, middle finger raised high until my hand is trembling with the strain as if they can see it.
This is going to behell.
Chapter 21
ELLIE
