“Yes, but I’m a writer. I know what I’m talking about. The man, whether you can admit it or not, has some kind of feeling about you.”
“Maybe annoyance.” I smirked. “I don’t see it.”
“You don’t have to. You’ll feel it pressed against your ass in the morning.” Annie laughed and then held up her hands. “Look, I’m just saying, appearance-wise, Priest beats Moth, hands down. Maybe he’s not as charming, but I don’t think it would be any sort of consolation prize to let Mr. Editor take your virginity over the guy who looks like he puts his dick in anything warm and wet.”
I couldn’t take it anymore. I slid out of the booth and stood. “I’m going to go try flirting again, thanks for the tips, ladies.” I lifted my head high and stormed over to the bar, ordering a fresh pink drink.
I stood between Priest and Moth and greeted them. “Hey! What are you guys talking about?”
“Welcome back, Delaney Duvall.” Moth grinned. “Priest and I were just catching up. I knew he looked familiar in the lobby, but it wasn’t until a little bit ago I remembered where we’d met.”
“Oh?” I turned to look at Priest. “Did you guys go to the same school?”
Priest’s eyes grew large and Moth grinned.
“Cunningham County.”
“That sounds like a prison.”
“It felt like one, right, Priest?” Moth nudged him. Priest didn’t respond. Instead, he reached for his beer and took a swig while glaring at Moth.
“I only did about a year over there, but Priest, they called you a lifer, didn’t they?” Moth smirked.I looked between them. They were having some sort of silent conversation between them.
“How can you be a lifer at a college?” I asked.
“Didn’t I say I don’t want to talk about it?” Priest asked sharply.
“Oh, come on, she’s just interested in knowing who she’s sleeping with.” Moth’s words held an edge to them that caused a low growl to come from Priest’s throat. “In the suite, I mean.”
“She knows what you mean,” Priest snapped.
“I’m confused,” I said, and before I could ask more questions, Priest swung his fist at Moth’s jaw.
Rule 11 - Priest
Learn the layout.
Iwas fast, but Moth was faster. He blocked my fist and shoved me back.
He’d been goading me all night, telling me and the others at the bar how much sex he’d be having this week.
“And I thought I’d be spending my Valentine’s getting drunk alone and jerking off.”
It was then that Laney came up and inserted herself.
“Priest!” she screamed and tugged on my shoulder. I leapt up and glared at Moth, who was giving me a shit-eating grin. He knew he had me by the balls. Again.
“What are you doing?” Laney screeched.I forced myself to calm down, exhaling slowly. “Nothing. I’m going to go up and finish unpacking. I’m tired.”
I took the stairs instead of the rickety elevator. It was made of metal and squealed every inch of the way up. I got to our suite and opened my door. The moment I was inside, I screamed.
“Fuck!”I paced the room, shoving stuff off the table.
Moth. The universe had a fucked-up sense of humor. The one chance I got to show Laney that we could be more thanbrother and sister, and fucking Moth, of all people, was here.I remembered the twisted fuck. He arrived at Cunningham, smug as shit, laughing as they did his intake. It wasn’t the laughing that was abnormal. No, most of the people at Cunningham weren’t entirely sane. Manic laughing was common at all times of the day there. Moth’s laugh wasn’t maniacal; it was dry, sarcastic as if he found it amusing he’d been locked up, as if he weren’t meant to be there. After meeting him, it was obvious that he was right where he should be.
But, he got out.
I stormed the room, making a mess of it until I calmed down enough to put it all back together. It was almost embarrassing how childish the act was. If Laney saw the room, I’d be mortified.
