“The Bistro sounds like a lovely place,” my mother interrupted. “Shall we?”
“Actually, Mom, would you mind if I cleaned up a little?” I asked. “I have been in class all day and I’d really like to freshen up.”
“Jenae, I’m dying to hear your story about the middle eastern sheik,” Sierra said. “Maybe you can tell it while Raquel changes.”
“Of course,” Mom said, and I grinned at Sierra. I’m pretty sure I owed her a kidney.
“I won’t be long,” I promised, and headed up to Orion’s room.
He followed, closing us in as I started pulling my shirt off.
“What the hell is going on?” I demanded in a whisper.
“Why are you whispering?” he asked with a smirk.
“Because my mother has the hearing of a bat.” I grabbed one of his hands and ran my thumb gently over the knuckles. “What happened?”
“I don’t want you leaving the compound, Razzle,” Orion said, ignoring my question.
I dropped his hand and rummaged through the dresser drawer for a clean shirt. “Looks like we don’t have much of a choice. My mom always gets what she wants, and what she wants is to take me to dinner.”
He dragged his hands down his face. “Baby, it’s church night. I can’t come with you.”
“I’m pretty sure you’re not invited.”
“Jesus,” he hissed.
“Why are your hands all scraped up, Orion?”
“Babe—”
“Adam,” I ground out.
“You know, I’m starting to fuckin’ hate my name,” he ground out.
I frowned. “Why?”
He crossed his arms. “Because you only use it when you’re pissed at me.”
I sighed. “I’ll try to use it when I’m super happy and in love with you, then.”
“In other words, you’re not super happy and in love with me now?”
“Who did you fight with?” I asked.
“Wasn’t so much of a fight as a lesson.”
“For whom?”
He studied me for a few tense seconds before he made the correct choice to tell me. “Orca.”
I gasped. “Did you beat the shit out of Orca, or were you defending yourself?”
“That’s all you’re gettin’, Raquel.”
“And what kind of a mess is that going to cause?” I challenged.
“I made my bed and I’m gonna lay in it,” he retorted.
