“Yeah, I know right? Not enough disinfectant in the world for it. And unfortunately, there isn’t a fucking thing you can do about it either. I tried hiding from my feels for almost three months after everything that happened with the O’Dell’s, but even if Malekhadn’tthrown a stick of Irish dynamite back into my life, I still would have tried to convince myself I didn’t love the bastard.”
I thought back to those few months with Mal. He definitely wasn’t himself, either. It had taken everything I had in me not to reach out and tell Sev that he was miserable withouther and beg her to give him another shot. It worked out so well for them, but my situation is so fucking different…I just…
“Do you ever miss it, Seven?” She leaned back and lowered her brows. “Being the ‘Cleaning Lady’? Were you not scared of what everything was gonna be like if you ever rearranged every aspect of your life?”
“Not really. Bridget…I considered myself pretty happy with my life when it was just me and this hulking skeleton in my closet that nobody knew about. It was safer that way. I loved myself. I still love myself, but…it’s been exponentially better, letting someone else love me the right way. To let them love the same things about you thatyoulove. Those are the parts that aren’t supposed to make sense to anybodyexceptthe person that’s meant for you. It doesn’t just makeyourlife better. It makes theirs better too.”
“So…you don’t think you were happier when things were more simple?”
She shrugged. “Not happier. I just didn’t know how great it could be. I also got burned way too many times. Malek fits my level of crazy. He’s my person. I think if you’re doing your best to outrun all this, and it’s not working…Dec is that person for you too.” She shifted in her chair and rattled the ice in her empty glass. “Dude, this is ridiculous. I gotta pee, and when I get back…if she hasn’t come back to this table, I vote we ditch this place and get tacos.”
“Bet.”
She left to find the bathroom, and I sat there, blankly staring at the mushy lemon that looked an awful lot like my current state of mind. Sour. Bitter. Used up. Sev’s right, though. Tacos and toenails are the only fix for this mood. If I don’t get my feet in some hot bubbly water soon, then—
“Hi, sorry about that. Are you ready to order?” I glanced up to see our evasive waitress. Looks about my age with a long,shiny blonde ponytail that’s curled at the end. Way too much makeup. Way too little class. The way that her eyes cut to Seven’s empty chair didn’t sit right with me.
“Convenient timing on your part. She just went to the bathroom. What’s the deal? And don’t say there isn’t one, you’re making it way too fucking obvious.” Her plump pout pursed, and she shifted around uncomfortably.
“I don’t—she’s just…”
“She’s justwhat?”
“Isn’t that the chick that works in the funeral home? It’s weird, and it gives me the creeps, okay? I don’t mean any offense, but—”
I raised out of my chair faster than should be fucking possible. Glancing down at her name tag, I leaned into her face and relished in how pale she got from my audacity. I needed this. “How’s this, you call her fucking weird again and I’ll smack theass fatoutta your lips,Amber.” I flicked her tag with my ruined fingernail and people started turning their heads toward us around the restaurant.
“It’s okay, Bridge.” Sev stepped forward and reached around our waitress to grab her bag off of her chair. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Yes, I do! This isbullshit!”
“Let’s just go. I’m hungry. We’re gonna pay more for less here, anyway. It’s not worth it.” She went to move towards the door, and I grabbed her arm, turning her around and sneering in Amber’s face, that went from pale gray to beet red.
“You gotta granny that took a long nap recently, bitch? She have a nice service? A grandpa? Your last hot date that conveniently died of pure boredom? How’d they look?Shedid that. You ever treat her any less than the goddess she is, then I’ll make sure your paperwork is wrong and your ass ends up in the crematory!”
“Bridget…”
I snapped my head towards Sev, and the look on her face broke me. “No. She owes you an apology.”
“It’s okay…”
I knocked over my water. Then Seven’s glass of ice. Shit started spilling off the table and I raised my head to look at Amber. “Apologize.” She went for the glass that started rolling, and I smacked that off next, gaining the whole joint’s attention when it shattered on the floor. You could have heard a pin drop after that. I yanked her by the collar and gripped it in my fist, baring my teeth. “I said…apologize.”
Amber stuttered, her stupid mouth opening and closing with words that wouldn’t quite form until she croaked out, “I—I’m s-sorry…I…” I shoved her down into Sev’s chair and she yelped.
“Your plastic surgeon needs to be fired…bitch.”
I felt my murderous urges start flaring up inside me. The demon was rattling its cage and begging me to put Amber on my impulsive list of Witherle Woods residents. I’m fighting it with everything I have. I’m also fighting another urge to shove that sorry ass lemon into her teeth. I reigned in my crazy and turned to leave instead—bumping into my brother’s broad chest.
“M-Mal?”
His face was as solid as stone with utter rage. Seven pinched the bridge of her nose and cursed under her breath as he stalked towards the table. Nobody moved. He put a hand on both arms of Amber’s chair and leaned into her face.
“Is marthanóir tumadóireacht muifí mé agus is breá liom seacláid hippie.”
I had to cover my mouth to keep it from exploding. Seven stood there in utter confusion. Poor Amber looked like she was about to piss herself beneath Malek’s psycho stare and the voice that he lowered to something that resembled Satanhimself. He kept the charade going and stood up intimidatingly slow, making eyes at several other people in the restaurant and slinging an arm around Sev’s shoulder as I followed them both out the front doors, snickering under my breath.
“What the hell did you just say to that girl?” she asked.
