“Are you flirting with me, big guy?”
I tilt my head to the side, set my hands on my hips, watching him.
“What happened to your nipples?”
“Huh?”
“You said it didn’t hurt as bad as the nipples. What happened?”
He’s slowly walking closer to me, and my breaths speed up with every step. His muscles are coiled tight, as if he’s going to strike.
I really want him to strike.
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Tell me.”
Pressing my lips together, I wince. “They’re pierced.”
He stops moving. His gray eyes go wide, and his jaw drops in surprise.
“Didn’t expect that, did you?”
“Your fucking nipples arepierced?” His gaze drops to my boobs, which are hidden beneath his hoodie.
“Yeah.” I shrug, reach for the knife, and resume opening boxes. After pulling out the contents, I toss the empty cardboard aside, getting excited with every new garment I uncover. “This is going to be so cute with leggings.”
“Why did you pierce yourself, Rebel?”
“I didn’t. Some guy did it. He was kind of cute, and very respectful.”
The air is thick with Gideon’s frustration at my answer.
“Why?”
I open another box and pull out two packages of underwear—thank God—and then set them aside to go in the wash before reaching for another box.
Why do they send everything separately? This is a lot of packaging.
“Lena.”
“Remember when you were gone for almost a month?”
The room goes silent.
“Go on.”
I clear my throat and slice open a box, internally rejoicing at the sight of fresh charcoal and pencils. The sketch paper and pads must be around here somewhere.
“So no one knows this.No one, Gideon.”
“I don’t know if you’re aware, but I have the highest security clearance there is.”
“Yeah, well, I’m just saying. I mean, Chelsea and the piercing guy know, but that’s it. Oh, and Howey, but he didn’t like them. He was afraid of chipping a tooth.”
“Look at me.”
“Nope.” I shake my head and pull clothes out of their protective plastic bags. “I can’t look at you while I tell this story because you’re going to beso madat me.”
