“Don’t look at me, dude. She was pissed when she came in, so I’m not gonna help you.”
Pissed when she came in?Fuck. GoddamnMercer and her fucking meeting.
Tasha gives him a withering look.
“What?” Dario says innocently. “He already knows she was here.”
I hesitate, then lift the small bag of groceries I’m holding, playing my last card, figuring they must already have deduced we spent the night together. “I went for breakfast. She was gone when I got back.”
Tasha’s glare shifts from Dario to me, and her eyes narrow. “You’re a shit liar, Declan. No one takes that long to get breakfast. So nowI’mwondering where the hell youdidgo?”
Dario tilts his head, watching me too.
Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.
“What’s it to you?” I ask. “A walk, okay? I went for a goddamn walk, then got breakfast. Do I have to account for everything? I just want to talk to the girl.”
“Yeah? Well, she doesn’t want to talk to you.” Tasha returns her attention to her laptop. “You fucking men,” she mutters. “Why do you keep screwing her over?”
Dario meets my eye and shakes his head mournfully.
This isn’t good. This isn’t good at all.
I need Genesis to establish my place in this crew. If she turns against me, they will too.
“Fine,” I say, resigned. “Who wants some waffles, then?”
I have to do better than this. Keep her close. Beside me.
Beneath me.The thought comes fast.
Yeah… close, just nottooclose.
For now, all I can do is hang out here, and hope she comes back soon.
Ten
Raven
The click of my door latch.
It’s not a sound I ever want to hear, and I’m instantly awake.
It takes a moment to realize it’s not someone breaking in, it’s someone leaving. The bed is empty, Declan’s gone. The sheet is still warm where he lay.
He’s left me, naked and sticky with the residue of our sex, and didn’t even say goodbye.
If I’m surprised, it’s only in how long he stayed.
What time is it?
I reach for my phone. Five fucking thirty.
That’s a man sneaking out before he’s caught if ever there was one.
I didn’t feel dirty when he made me do those things, but I do now.
I didn’t feel rejected when it must’ve been obvious to him I lackedexperience.
