“Youhit me?”he squeaks out, outraged.
“Youwere breaking in,” I remind him.
He throws his hands up.“I wasn’t breaking in.I thought one of you were being hurt,” he growls, and then winces, clutching his head.“Did you use that fucking bat?”
I bite my lower lip, contemplating whether or not to tell him.Freya doesn’t care though.“It was a dog bowl.”
He glares my way again, and then at Hunter who is still trying to lick my neck.“I’m going home.”Hunter quietly barks, sitting on his hind legs.“You are such a traitor.”
I stroke my fingers through Hunter’s fur.“I think Mr Waffles is amazing.He knew we weren’t really a threat.”
“Hunter,” Reid bites out.“And not a threat?You knocked me unconscious.”
“Stop crying over it,” I mutter.
“And you aren’t going anywhere,” Malia warns.“You could have a concussion, so you aren’t driving.Either ring a brother to pick you up or sleep on the couch.I’m going to bed.”She stops at the bottom of the stairs, turning back to him.“Oh, and Reid, unless you want another knee to your dick, I would avoid me for a few days.”
No, no, no.
He can’t stay here.He can’t.I need to put space between us.Even the acres separating us today haven’t been enough.Watching a horror movie to cheer me up wasn’t a lie, but it was also so I could take my mind off him and distract myself from thinking about how good it feels to have him inside of me.
“Huh, what did I do?”
“Bear.Ring any bells?He’s our new family member,” she grits out, gripping the banister.
“Aww, you already consider him family?”he declares, nodding.He jabs a thumb in Hunter’s direction.“We clicked right away too.”
“No, you fucking moron.If I wanted a dog, I would have got her a fucking dog.Next time, ask.You’re so fucking lucky I don’t string you up by your intestines and beat you like a piñata.”
He flinches at her vivid description.“Sorry.I just can’t seem to say no to the kid.”
“Try,” she snaps, then heads up the stairs, calling, “Night,” to us all.
“Yeah, I should go too.Mark is pulling into the drive,” Freya announces, glancing down at her phone.
I glare at her.“You messaged him to pick you up early, didn’t you?”
She shrugs.“Seems like you have enough people here.”
“Did you put a tracker app on his phone?”I tease because I’m mad she’s leaving me with this man, even after I finally confessed to what he did.
She had a lot to say, but her first reaction had been to punch me in the arm.She had been hurt I felt like I couldn’t speak to her about this.When I pointed out I was embarrassed, she reminded me about the time I got food poisoning and rushed into the bathroom, whilst she was in the bath, and had diarrhoea.It wasn’t even the most shameful thing I did that night.I literally vomited all over the floor, making it hard for her to get out of the bath.
She rolls her eyes.“Fuck you.”
A thought occurs to me, and I swear to God, sometimes I amaze myself with my bright ideas.“Hey, here’s an idea.Mark can take Reid home.”
She winces.“Not enough room.Sorry.He has tools and shit in the back,” she lies.
I know she’s bloody lying because I was outside when they pulled in and the back of the car was empty.
“I hate you,” I hiss.
“Love you, bitch.See you at the christening Sunday.”
A low growl rises in my throat.“Will you fucking drop the act already?I know you aren’t being serious about this.If you are, I am not going.”
“I would have thought someone who uses the word energy and has crystals in every nook and cranny in their room, would be all in for someone to start a spiritual journey,” Reid observes.
