Page 136 of Healed

“But then who would you have to torment?”

“Nicole and Emma,” he replied simply.

“The Birds?” I laughed. “What’s your issue with them?”

“Same issue Dante has with Steph. They made the foolish mistake of engaging with me and egging me on—no pun intended. So that means they must be punished.”

“You’re a bizarre man.”

“I’ve had worse after sex insults.”

“And that’s good for your image, is it?”

“Touche, princess. Touche.” He paused for a moment and then asked, “Does it bother you, by the way?”

“Does what bother me?”

“Being called my old lady?”

It was my turn to pause now.

“It’s… The simple answer is no, I guess.”

“What’s the long answer?”

“It’s sort of confusing when we haven’t even had that discussion ourselves.”

“We’re having it now.”

“Yeah,” I said softly. “Does it bother you?”

“Princess, I’ve been calling you mine since we were kids. I loudly declared to Warrior that I was going to ‘old lady you up’ and ‘bridge the gap between the gangs’—it earned me a clip around the ear, and I was on clean-up duty for the Descendents for a month. But I didn’t change my mind with such torturous punishments then, and I’ve not changed my mind now. The ball has always been in your court, my love.”

I couldn’t stop the silly grin that crept over my face. “You declared me to Warrior?”

“Loudly and proudly. And maybe with some stolen booze for Dutch courage,” he grinned back. “You’re sort of leaving me hanging here, though.”

I leaned forward and placed a kiss on his lips. “How about I make you a deal?” I whispered against his mouth.

I went to pull away and he sat up, seizing the back of my head and holding me in place.

“Name your terms,” he said, his teeth tugging on my lower lip.

I moaned softly into his mouth and then said, “Give it your best attempt at killing me again, and I’ll give you your answer.”

The wicked grin that split across his face was almost sinful.

“Challenge accepted, princess.”

Then his head slipped under the covers and between my legs.

It took five minutes for him to win the challenge. Five minutes to secure my fate.

Looks like I was an old lady.

Again.

Chapter 41