I’m so jealous, Oberi preened as his eyes greedily observed the leather.
Marcus gripped his utensil tightly as he eyed the collar intensely. “What isthat?” he asked in disgust.
“It was a present from Scarlet. I like it,” Kallie replied.
“Don’t you think it’s inappropriate?” Marcus seethed.
“No. I’m a wolf. I can wear a collar,” Kallie said defensively.
“Not asex collar,” Marcus hissed.
“Who’s gonna stop me? You?” Kallie rebutted.
At the worst time ever, Scarlet walked in. Her boxer costume wasn’t very original. She slid next to Kallie and nudged her. “Hey, hotness. Ready for our date tonight?”
Kallie bristled. “I’m sorry, but I already told you I can’t come,” she said. “I’m having a party with my friends.”
Scarlet’s nose crinkled. “Yeah. I forgot.”
She leaned forward and put her chin in her hand as she locked her red eyes on a vampire across the room. “Could anyone introduce me to Zayne? I’d like to get to know him personally.”
“Didn’t he get sentenced here for a string of car robberies?” I asked.
“Yeah. Ilovea guy with some hot wheels,” Scarlet purred. “They’re so cool.”
“I have a moped,” Marcus offered. “It’s cool.”
Scarlet let out a mean snicker. “Wow. Could you be any more of a loser?”
Kallie’s hands slammed on the table. “He isnota loser!” Kallie shouted.
“Okay, geez. I was only kidding,” Scarlet said slowly. She stood up. “I’ve got to go train. See you around.”
Scarlet swaggered off— in Zayne’s direction, I noticed.
Marcus spoke quietly. “Thanks for sticking up for me. I know I’m a nobody.”
“You’re not,” Kallie said immediately. “Don’t listen to her.”
The rest of lunch was rather awkward. I sent an intention across our bond to tell Charlie I needed to talk with Kallie. He made some excuse to get Marcus away once they were done eating. I waited for everyone else around us to leave before I turned to Kallie, who was staring at her plate rather listlessly. “What are you thinking about?”
“Homicide,” Kallie said.
“Homi—no, I meant about Scarlet!”
“Oh.” Kallie sighed and slumped forward. “She’s cool, I guess.”
“Not a promising response when you’re talking about your girlfriend.”
“We’re barely dating,” Kallie complained. “She’s only around when she wants to have sex, which is great and all, but as far as romance goes, I feel like I’m being ignored.”
“So is it better, sleeping with a girl over a guy?” I asked. I hoped I wasn’t being invasive, but I was curious.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never been with a guy.”
“Really? I thought that guy you were with back in Malovia—”
“Ew, no!” Kallie wrinkled her nose. “Don’t even go there.”
