It startles Leilani, snapping her out of the hypnosis Anton dragged her into. She glances around the room, eyes sailingpast me toward Ryder and Broadway as they enter, confusion painting her features.
I turn toward them and put my finger to my lips so they’ll know to stay quiet.
“What is it?” Anton asks. “What happened, petal?”
Her breath stutters and her eyes lose that glassy look. She swallows hard, fingers trembling in her lap.
She’s back, and fighting to stay composed.
“Someone slammed a door somewhere,” she explains, schooling her expression, but the cracks are there.
Broadway stops beside me while Ryder heads for the kitchen, stealthy as a hunting lion. I watch as Leilani tries to stay inside Anton’s dollhouse, struggling to keep up the charade.
It takes another ten minutes before the call ends and I jump forward, beside her in a flash, powering off the phone.
She’s unresponsive, not here, not there, somewhere else entirely, her blank stare kicking up my pulse.
I do the first thing that springs to mind.
I don’t understand how it works, why she rages at me whenever I remind her of Anton but softens and sinks into this lifeless doll for him, but I don’t have time to wonder.
I want her back. That wild, untamable,realgirl. I want her here. Right fucking now.
Grabbing a piece of chocolate from the bowl, I offer it to her.“You didso well, sweetheart.”
Her head whips toward me like I struck her, eyes drilling into mine, shoulders rigid. “What did you just say?”
The tight band across my ribs disappears as air leaves me in a shaky exhale. “I said, you did beautifully, petal.”
She’s on her feet before I can blink, her hand landing on my face. “Don’t call me that!”
“Make me.”
She shoves at me, but I don’t budge. She needs an outlet for the Molotov cocktail of emotions fermenting inside her.
“You’re doing this on purpose!”
“Damn right.” I catch her jaw, fingers digging into her cheeks until her lips pucker. “Now hit me harder. Show me you’re back. Show me you’re not that fucker’s sweet little doll.”
“Should we give you a few minutes?” Broadway drawls from behind me. “This sounds like the most twisted foreplay I ever heard, and I don’t want a front-row seat.”
Leilani slams her open palm on my chest, her fight draining away like sand through open fingers. “No, you can stay.” She glances down the length of her body, jaw working in tight circles. “I need to take this off.”
“You have my permission to burn it all in the bathroom sink.” I grasp the ribbon, pulling it from her hair, then smear her lip gloss with my thumb. “Go. Don’t take long. I’m stuffing you so full of chocolate today that you’ll throw up all night.”
She grins, rolling her eyes, and steps around me, holding the hem of her dress in a tight fist to stop it swirling.
As soon as her bedroom door closes, I slump onto my couch, squeezing the back of my neck.
***
Broadway and Ryder left us alone without a single snarky comment. Not one word... but a parting gift.
From Ryder, with love: a mouthguard.
The fucking audacity.
Also, Carter’s audacity. I should feel offended that he sent the guys over for Leilani’s conversation with Anton. It screams lack of trust.
