Anna moved in the corner of my eye, and when I turned my attention again, I saw her smile damn near reach her fucking ears. I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen her smile like that. It relaxed her face in a way I hadn’t clocked yet. She always seemed too spun up. So focused on keeping everyone at a safe distance that she never let anyone actually see her.
Or maybe she just really enjoyed tormenting me with pickles.
My nose curled at the thought.
Hate those fucking things.
I must’ve gotten lost in my head, because when my gaze focused back on the scene, I was still staring at Anna.
Only this time, she turned her attention toward me.
My stare focused on her face and she stuck her tongue out at me. That little button nose of hers wrinkled up, and that neck tattoo of hers jumped as she tilted her head side to side like a petulant toddler. I snickered and shook my head softly before I decided I was ready for some food of my own.
But when I stepped out from the shadows, I heard a gasp.
The woman King was feeding jumped in her seat.
King whipped his head over his shoulder before clocking me, and then he went back to stabbing the food he had in the bowl in his palm.
“It’s okay, it’s just Brutus. He’s the one that pulled you out of that cage.”
I just lifted my hand to her. “Hello.”
The woman watched me warily before she flinched at my voice.
I fucking hated it when women flinched at my voice.
“Just getting some food,” I muttered as I reached for the kitchen cabinet.
“You don’t need to be afraid of him or anything,” Anna said as I reached for a bowl over her head, “he’s really just a big ol’ teddy bear deep down inside.”
I shot her a look as I palmed the bowl and pulled it from the cabinet.
She just thwacked me with my hand in my abs, though.
“See? Teddy bear,” she said with a cheeky smile on her face.
“This teddy bear will crush you,” I mumbled as I pointed. “You’re in front of the silverware.”
She giggled as she pushed off the countertop. “Not big on manners, though. Don’t expect him to thank you for anything.”
My face fell flat as I stared at her. “Really?”
She beamed up at me with pride. “Really.”
I was painfully aware of the set of eyes on my back. My entire life, people always thought I was older than I looked. I was almost six feet tall by the time I was thirteen, and it only got worse from there. The instant my voice dropped, I was no longer a child. I was expected to act the age everyone thought I was, and I found out it was easier to be quiet than it was to be heard.
I grumbled to myself as I plucked a fork from the silverware drawer.
I walked over to the pot of food and served myself.
“You want a drink, Bee?” Anna asked.
I heard the fridge door open as I reached for a napkin. “Water’s fine.”
“We’ve got pickles in here if you?—”
“Good God, you and your fuckin’—no pickles!” I said with a chuckle behind my voice.
