“Okay, okay!” She drops her arms and starts storming to the bathroom. “Fine. I’ll go.”
She slams the bathroom door and Alfie’s shoulders drop.
He runs a hand down his face. “God, this girl is impossible.”
“I think she’s great,” I say, falling on the bed and cocking my legs up.
Alf starts towards the door but turns back just before leaving. “Be fucking nice to her. If she doesn’t give you grief, don’t give her any. Don’t give her any ammo, okay? Promise me, Fiz.”
I roll my eyes and make a cross over my heart. “Fucking hope to die, you melt.”
“I mean it, Fiz, if she’s good, let her be good. Let’s just have a bit of peace in this house.”
He’s getting jittery again. He’s pacing at the door, throwing his hands wildly as he speaks, his eyes are going all weird again. I may like chaos, but I don’t like Alfred Annihilation.
I push my palms out. “Calm down, psycho. We’ll be peachy. Fuck off and go punch something.”
He pretty much snarls in response and then disappears. I blow out a long breath. I’ve noticed he’s been more on edge since Elodie got here. I thought maybe it was for the same reasons as me and Caden. New pussy, forbidden to touch for two weeks. But I don’t know, it feels more than that. Like he’s walking that tightrope again, on a wobbly line to falling into a relapse. It’s not a place we want Alfie Blackwood to be.
I wait for Elodie to leave the bathroom. To my delight, she’s in nothing but a towel.
“What are you doing?” she squeals, clutching the hem of her towel around her chest. “Get out!”
I just smirk at her. “I’m just here for the show.”
“There is no show, get out.”
I drop my legs from the bed and straighten up, stalking towards her, relishing the sparkle of discomfort and apprehension in her eyes.
“Don’t come near me, Fiz,” she warns, and the ferocity in her voice, her stance, has my blood heating.
I halt a few feet away. “I wasn’t going to,” I say innocently, then continue my approach. I don’t go to her, I veer off to the wardrobe, picking her an outfit.
I can feel her fear, the anxiety, the nerves pulsating off her, feeding my ego, my arousal, my whole being. I could feast on it.
I lay the clothes out on the bed and turn to her, giving her a saccharine smile. “Just wanted to help you out.”
She stands there, still clutching the towel, still staring at me, braced for me to do something.
I back away toward the door. “Five minutes, Sleeping Beauty, then the fun really begins.”
***
“I’m not sitting in a car with that thing.”
“Well, you are, and you’re doing it right now. Don’t make me start counting again.”
Elodie shuffles from foot to foot, looking like Alfie twenty minutes ago. “He’s scary.”
I gasp. Dropping to my knees and cupping Bob’s face, I give it a wiggle. “This face is scary?! How dare you, this is the biggest cutie you’ll ever lay eyes on. Sure,” I bob my head side to side, “he may have mauled a few limbs, perhaps clawed some facial features off of skulls, but he really is a teddy bear, ain’t that right, Bobby?” I smother his nose in kisses. He gives a little bark in agreement.
She still doesn’t look convinced, and I really don’t have the time or the desire to coddle her. I straighten up and walk to my car, dig out my bag and throw it to her. She catches it with a yelp.
“This is Bobby’s goodie bag. As long as you’ve got that, you hold the power. Give him as many treats as you want, he’s a fat fuck anyway. Come on, let’s go.”
She peeps into the bag and assesses the contents. Just before my last string of patience snaps, she moves sheepishly to the car. Bob’s eyes are glued to the bag and he follows, basically treading on her heels.
“See? He loves you, now get in, chop chop.”
