I meet Byron’s gaze, which quickly falls to his feet, a visible flush crawling up his neck. Tipping my chin in Dascha’s direction, I find him being comforted by Felix and Warren, both of whom are shooting me extremely sour looks of simultaneous hatred and protection for their friend.
A rough exhale leaves my lips as I scrape a hand over my face. “You’re not going to believe me anyway, so what’s the point? I’m sorry I did it, okay?? It was… one ofmanyoversights on my part.”
“I am going to rip your tongue out through your asshole,” Kellan hisses, deadly quiet.
“Hey! I just said that earlier,” I gasp, beaming at the humorous irony.
But Kemper doesn’t look amused in the slightest.
“Diablo,” Angel barks softly, as he does, jerking my attention away from the snarling beast of a man who’s two seconds from splitting me in two like a human wishbone. I blink down at my little bird, his green eyes shining insistence. “Why don’t you start from the beginning?”
I groan, head tipping back in severe irritation at this ridiculous situation that I would normally view as so far beneath me, it’s molten fucking lava. “Fuck it, just let them kill me.”
“I’m good with that.” Jake Jasper cracks his knuckles.
“Óyeme, Manuel.” Angel grabs my face. “You want to move on, si? You want to finally be happy and have a real life… with me?”
His eyes are pleading, and I’m sort of melting inside, which is so strange, because I could’ve sworn I was hollow. But now there’s all this mushy stuff inside me, and it’s thrumming for this sweet, sexy, enduring creature.
I nod, and whisper, “Si.”
His shoulders relax a bit, and he nods. “Buen. Then be fuckinghonest. There’s a human being in there.” He taps his finger on my chest, right over the tattoo covering my heart. “I know there is. I’ve met him… Lethimdo the talking, por favor.”
“But he’s such a sappy puta,” I complain, rolling my eyes.
Angel’s lips twitch, but he forces it away, standing firm.
Such a demanding little thing, I swear… Me encanta.
“He’s not that bad,” he rumbles. “But more importantly, he can offer some insight as to how we got here… Andwhy.”
He gives me a knowing look, subtly nodding toward Jonathan.
Ugh… God.
This is going to be just unbearable.
“Wow, chiquita got that magic wand, huh?” Ren snorts.
“Seriously, it’s like watching a snake charmer.” Joy shakes her head.
“May I speak to you in private, please?” I grumble to Jonathan. “The commentary is already becoming insufferable, and I’d rather not turn this intoafternoon tea.”
Jonathan’s mouth quirks ever so slightly, head slanting to the side as he gives me this snide expression I’m somehow loving and hating at the same time.
“No, I think you can deal with some discomfort,” he chirps. “In fact, I think it’s what we all really want to see, am I right?”
He doesn’t have to look around to know everyone is nodding enthusiastically, murmuring their approval and clapping at the prospect of watching me sweat out the severe awkwardness of a forced emotional striptease.
Clearing my throat, I rub my eyes. “Fuck me…fine. Here goes…” I cough up the words, “Jonathan, I think my behavior over the years may have been…affected…by my…” I clear my throat a few more times, physically drowning in discomfort as I peek at his face, “sentimientos. Para ti.”
“In English, please.” He smirks, obviously understanding what I said.
Purely to torture me in front of all these people.
“Qué? I’m not from here…” I grunt, feigning ignorance. “Hablomuypoco Ingles.”
“Diablo…” Angel growls.
