“She has a name,” I mention smoothly, a smirk on my lips as I lean into Kieran. “But you can keep calling meher. It makes me sound like a storm.”
If she wants to be the basic mean girl, I can match that… It’s just so boring.
“Of course.” She gives me a wide predatory smile, certain I’m in her place. “I’m sure you do.”
“Say what you came to say,” Silas demands, his tone lethal as he puts his hand on my shoulder.
It feels like he’s prepared to pull me back, as if I might launch myself through the doorway and grab a handful of brittle, over-processed hair and expensive extensions… But I don’t pull hair. I have a gun for a reason.
She doesn’t take her eyes off me, or the way I’m casually leaning into Kieran and Silas is claiming all the space behind me. The three of us are effectively blocking Jace, which seems to make her frustration grow.
“I came to fix a misunderstanding,” she states.
I arch a brow. “You rang the wrong doorbell for that.”
“You don’t know who they are,” she spits back, her eyes narrowing into slits as she points at the four of us. “What they are.”
“I know what they’re not,” I retort, shrugging and channeling my best Roo impression. “There are other horses to ride, baby. If you search hard enough, good dick is right around the corner. Someone else can help you find what you crave.”
I feel Kieran snort, though he doesn’t outwardly make a sound.
“This isn’t how this goes.” She finally looks at Silas, irritation at my audacity causing her cheeks to pink. “You don’t get… attached.”
Jace chuckles, a short, cruel burst of incredulity. “Watch us.”
Her composure cracks just enough to show the truth underneath.
Belief.
Pure, delusional belief.
“You don’t fall in love,” she tells them, voice tight. “You orbit. You fixate. And you burn through people before you move on.” Her gaze cuts back to me. “You’ll be temporary. They’ll get bored when you can’t keep up with them.”
I smile as soon as she finishes… because deep in my chest, that feral thing stretches and purrs.
“Funny,” I say, keeping my voice even. “I’m pretty unpredictable. But you shouldn’t get attached to me either. I already have another stalker.”
Her lip curls up as she reaches into her purse too quickly. My muscles coil with tension, ready to disarm her, but there’s no need. She pulls out a sleek gold card case, exposing the metal edge of something with zero limits.
“Name your number,” she comments, her expression morphing into something coy. “I’ll triple it.”
I actually laugh.
A real, surprised cackle that takes me a minute to stop.
“Oh,” I say, shaking my head and trying to wipe the humor off my face. “How kind of you... But I have my own money. I don’t want yours.”
Her eyes narrow. “Everyone has a price.”
“Not me, and not anyone here,” I reply, my voice dropping an octave as I lean toward her. “Buying skin in Crimson Bay will get you killed.”
Silence follows my statement.
Kieran stiffens beneath my touch. I can’t see Jace or Silas, but their ex is looking at me differently now.
No longer dismissive.
Threatened.
