Katy pressed her lips tightly together and tilted her head to the side.“But he never said itdidn’tinvolve sex.Isn’t that right?”
“You need to lay off the Court T.V.,” Lola said dryly.“Your inner cross examiner is showing.”
“Okay, we’ll set the possibility of ananimusbeing a booty-call for later,” Maddie said as she tapped her fingers on the carpet."Let’s move on to when you went with Callon yesterday–”
"Good grief,” Katy interupted.“I can't believe all of the Callon drama has only happened in a day.Onlyyouwould wind up with a crazy stalker for a boyfriend."
"Anyways," Maddie said slowly with a sharp look at Katy."When you were with him, at no point did you eat or drink anything?Not even when you met his parents?No beverages were offered?"
Lola shook her head."No."
"And you never felt a sharp prick, like a needle being stuck in you?"
"Seriously," Lola deadpanned."I'd know if I was drugged, especially with a freaking needle."
"I'm just trying to cover all our bases," Maddie shrugged."You're talking about a species that comes from another realm, Lo.A doctor would give you some drugs and stick your butt in a mental hospital."
"She's not wrong," Katy added.
"I know what I saw and it was not drug-induced.”Lola ran her hand through her hair.“Callon's father looked like a mixture of man and lion.It was both scary and beautiful."
Katy frowned."I think your idea of beautiful and mine are very, very different."
"Not if you met Callon," Lola said softly.
"You really feel something for him," Maddie said, and it was not a question.
"You barely know him."Katy pointed out unnecessarily.
"I don't understand it, either," Lola said as she leaned her head back against the door."Something inside of me is drawn to him.Even now, after today, I still want to go to him."
"That's called your libido," Katy told her."Hot, muscular, and in your case, just like the dudes from your books, you didn't have a chancenotto want him."
The sudden tap on her window jolted Lola, sending a wave of adrenaline through her body.Her mind immediately jumped to Callon and sitting out on the fire escape with him.Her heart raced and her stomach flipped, ready to crawl up her throat.Fear and confusion clouded her mind.Did she want to see him?No.And yes.“Dammit,” she breathed out feeling like every ounce of oxygen escaped her lungs from that one word.She remembered he’d sent her texts right after she’d bailed from his car but after talking to Bane when he’d come into NNP, she’d hastily deleted them.Now, she’d wished she hadn’t.“No you don’t,” she told herself, and then jumped again when the tapping continued.
“You okay?”Maddie asked, concern filling her eyes.
“Yep,” Lola nodded quickly.“Totally fine.Everything is fine.Right as the rain.Feeling good.Totally got this.”
Maddie’s eyes widened.“Okay, so you’re a complete and utter mess, and might need an intervention.Noted.”
"That better not be him," Katy said as she pushed up and walked to the window."Fine as hell or not, I will push him off the fire escape and enjoy the sound of his Lion King-ass hitting the pavement."
Lola jumped to her feet."No," she said and bumped Katy's hip so she could reach the window first.No matter how bruised her heart was, she didn't want Callon hurt.She pulled up the window without even checking to see who it was.
"Hello, Kitty Cat," Katy muttered."Itisa damn shame to have to kill him.You weren't lying when you said he was beautiful in a rugged, masculine way."
"Don't forget the part where she said there was something inside of him that called to a primal part of her that she'd never felt before," Maddie said, her voice sounding a tad breathless.
"You both can shut up now," Lola snapped as she looked at the handsome face, though not the one she wanted to see."Bane, what are you doing here?"
"Bane?"Katy asked?"That's not Callon?"
"Didn't you listen when she described him?”Maddie asked."Callon had long, wild hair, like a lion's mane."Maddie made some sort of noise as if she was considering something, then she snapped her mouth closed.She tilted her head a tad to the right and smirked."You're the panther.You came into NNP today.Lola told us about how you scratched up Callon’s car.I totally like you."
"I am and I did," he said, his voice calm and smooth.He didn't seem concerned or surprised that Katy and Maddie knew what he was.His eyes moved from Lola to Maddie and then Katy.And that's where they stayed.His eyes narrowed and he tilted his head, reminding Lola very much of how Dog watched a bug he wasn't interested in messing with.Curious, but unsure if he should act on that curiosity.
Speaking of Dog– or rather, thinking of him– he came out from under her bed, took one look at Bane and hissed.
