Bryn pointed at Dave. “Her grandmother is trying to take control, and you’re on the verge of a civil war. The prudent thing is to come with us today so we can protect you.”
“Pimp me, you mean.”
Bryn scowled. “You are behaving like a child. Marriages have been used to create ties between families for centuries. Your sister managed it just fine.”
“And I don’t begrudge her that, but my life is here now. I have friends, family, and people I love.”
“Love is a fickle and fleeting emotion. You cannot form a lifelong bond because of love,” Bryn argued.
I felt sorry for him. People who’d never had it, didn’t understand it, and that was okay. But he would not rip away my friend from her happy place.
“Eloise Roberts is about to rain down chaos. It’s for your protection that you should return to us now,” Caroline said.
There was no love among these three, not a kind word or warm feeling. It was no wonder Rebecca sought it out in partners.
Liz leaned forward. “I am exactly where I need to be. With exactly who I need to be. I like myself here. That’s more than I can say for who I was back home. Family isn’t a right, it’s a gift, one you did not treasure until it slipped through your grasp. Soturn around, take your British bullshit back home with you, and leave me in peace.”
Bella stalked into the room, glared at the vampire royalty, and jumped into Dave’s lap. What on earth? She never picked me. She turned her head and winked at me. She knew. The scary, weird-ass feline knew our fucked-up souls were in places they shouldn’t be.
“I am not leaving here without you,” Bryn said while pushing himself to his feet. His muscles twitched like he was about to make a grab for her. Dave moved fast, blocking him with my tiny body. But it was the look of pure menace on his face that made Bryn Lexington freeze. I needed to practice that look in the mirror—it would get me out of so much.
“No,” Liz said, poking her head around Dave.
“Rebecca Charlotte Lexington,” Caroline said. Her middle name was Charlotte? “You will get in that car now.” Everyone stayed silent, and the air grew heavy as we waited for the first person to break. Caroline sighed. “Haven’t you bedded enough riff-raff?”
She leaned forward to swipe a cookie, and I lurched out of my chair, grabbing the plate away. She reared back in shock. “Mothers who call their children whores don’t deserve cookies.”
“Leave, mother,” Liz said.
Bryn glowered at me. “This isn’t over.”
Dave pointed at the door. “Don’t make the mistake of thinking you are welcome again. My wards will skin you alive if you try to return.”
I could make that happen.
Caroline stood, and the pair stalked out of my house, the door swinging shut behind their bodyguards. No one spoke until the car left the property.
“Well, that was unexpected,” Rebecca muttered.
“Did I handle it okay?” Liz asked.
“Perfectly,” Rebecca answered.
Dave slouched back onto the sofa. “I hate being in this body. You are too small.”
“We can’t all be lumbering six-foot mountain men.”
Footsteps echoed on the stairs, and Ezra turned the corner. He tilted his head at our group, stalked over to us, and dropped his lips onto Liz’s.Oh shit.
Dave jumped up and threw a punch at Ezra, knocking him on his ass. More footsteps pounded down the stairs as Hudson stood up and pushed Dave over.
Ezra cupped his jaw. “What the actual fuck is happening?”
“Everyone needs to stop kissing each other, stop punching each other, just stop,” I shouted as the rest of the soul swapping group joined us. Hudson moved over to me. “You okay?”
Ezra’s mouth dropped open at us. I get that—it looked like Dayna was cozying up with Dangerous Dave.
“We swapped souls,” I explained to Ezra.
