5 Sep
ancisco (Uncle
- Me
did it cross my mind that Damio
st be cryogenically frozen on the inside - because no one with a functioning heart can be that casually crue
s. He owes me an explana
For one pathetic second, I hope it's him - before reality sma
pointment se
ber. I fro
Melaena, hope you're
Who is
number:
hat do
Revenge. But m
:
r: You belon
Fudg
by, I'm not going anyw
he screen.
to ruining my evening. My stomach twists, irritation bubbling up, but I shove it down. I
it hi
O
ts. You'
mi
nity. His name starts with D, his hobbies include intimidation and psychologic
osed. Certif
e room, looking for Kiara. We need to confront him - n
m again, a female voice stops me
and casually lean against the wall, suddenly very interested
the kind that sounds like it's been rehearsed. "Ug,
ike Jackson trained me - because appare
u decided to
." Another sigh. Longer thi
bad you ignored every other rule growing up.
rong. I sn
ll get hurt. Like ... physically. The devil will
The.
is thing? Hand out emotional traum
fall in love with someone else. Preferably a girl who
ares
or me." The words land h
st tig
Grimm - certified menace, profe
ely fond. Gone.
h C
usly?
te really is
ken her trust too many times. I wouldn't be surprised if she
fake. There's no bravado
ncomfortable and emo
ts, bones, trust ... with the right tools and patience.
I can't li
that makes stupid men fear bodily harm and supernat
ught Damion
ntly,
belongs to someon
e of the party blurring into a dull roar. I barely register my sur
s digging in, head dr
yes
his smug face and his stupid rules and
n. That stupid, unreliable organ that clearly
hat must
h doom, "are your brothers going to be so sick. They're fee
y could be juggling chainsaws for all I care - I hav
toward the e
id
a buffet. Axel hands out shots, my brothers knock them b
erywhere. Brai
course - has positioned herself perfectly between Damion a
neat little row against the wall, arms folded, sil
Damion's neck. He jolts as i
mach r
urges up my throat. Jeal
be illegal. I spin to Kiara and dump my misery
e you starting your period early, or are
ch. She follows my line of sig
ys. "Did you
"What does Ren hav
tfully. "Then it's Da
shoulder. Non
's a barnacle. He drags her out toward the front of the house while she glares daggers.
rs are ..
rated. Sometimes I swear men a
teases. "What did you do
e and resumes drinking
produce more brainless, heartless males so the cycle can continue. Look a
kay ... who would send you something like t
r guess is as
into his broad back. Funny how he doesn't seem remotely concern
y. "He's crazy, but n
t conv
s softly. "You look like you need seri
t Ren?" I
near Damion. "I'm sure he can locate the exit withou
on already sca
I like that b
He saved my life once, when I was little. A secret between us no one knows about. I don't remember much. Just fra
ng as barman. Moments later, he slides bottles toward
of fir
he kitchen, steal a tub of double fudge ice cream and two
ed under HER clothes
e sofa and flinging open my wardrobe. A hoodie
tha
b into it. She does the same - a head taller than me, go
quilt my mom stitched years ago, place the ice cream betwee
. I take a deep gulp. It b
," I say between scoops of ice cream,
ed," she says slowly
ecause of him," I rant. "And then he has the
stay away from you?" She asks
s up my life. To torture me. Because he
s something I don't. Wh
reason," she says care
what I overheard. My eyes sting. I drink ag
y. "Well. That expla
I grumble. "Of th
of Chloe. Of
Grimm's
," Kiara muses. "The biker l
"Pos
ot it wrong
ne time,"
"Three, if we count th
My track recor
s going to explode as soon as his wife arrived. And
name. Chloe." I sink back into the pillows. "And Re
says. "I'm your be
That is nev
"I don't like the compa
y chest heavy and confus
to rethink this
eed another spoon
el creme bottle like it's a lifeline,
mous ... unless you count my infamous ability to
tal idiot like every other guy in o
n slide down my throat, and the edges of my brain soften. We finish
ff the bed, reaching for the Kahlua. I burs
soar!" I snort, wipi
n a human inhabit a mattress. I snatch the Kahlua bottle and dump it straight into the ice cream tub. She wa
crap," I say, tapping Pan - my
my arm started hurting. Said some special
works?" Kiara ask
I say. Like M
urtle. "That's where you got your name
t it's an impressive thingy ...
e giggle hysterically. I mean, I've only ever seen a penis in pictures
tic,
my lips. "We don't want Ren and
a hand over my mouth, hoping to conta
il our noses
ch pretty sk
. This is our second round of liquid courage. In Europe, the drinking age i
admit, my voice way louder a
nged ice cream out of her mouth
says, "It mu
aotic circle above our hea
. "I think it'
uspiciously. "Yeah, thi
an stumbles in, collapsing on the sofa like a
ic) love you, baby," he hiccu
er at Kiara. "And I lo
? It's the air. N
nd taps me on the nose. I
e a storm cloud - big, bad,
th a smirk. "We were
d unfiltered. "You've got t
" Kiara echoes,
t, and wears that grin - the on
pright, gagging, hand
amion's already hauling Logan into the
ar him say. Then the
y balance, and sneak to the bathroom door
bitch?" My voice is small,
raspy and way too smooth for s
shower, his own shirt off, and those damn jeans that some
?" I w
at me, e
shoul
omise." He giggles like I
alls from the bed, clutchin
ion. He shuts off the water and
mio
sarming. The kind that could probab
the tub. "You should fill it ... with w
ly. "Guys don't do bubbles.
re thing to add to t
I let him. I trail a finger across hi
me about D. Who's D?" h
he quilt. I push my nose into hi
The hiccup wasn't planned. Neit
sage," Kiara remi
talker, and I think it's you. Because you-Da
, like a little kid caught steal
say, voice thick.
imes in helpfull
I add quickly, flustered. "Ma
glance at Kiara, p
en any dicks,"
hat helped. O
even one." Great.
closed dramatically.
-uh-hypopotamus confused. Then it pumps out hormones like a busted fire hydra
isper right
ed laugh. I forget ever
pnotic apple-green eyes, the scar that slices his t
lips witho
try to sleep," he
th me?" I blurt, s
hing. I want to crawl un
, "Shush," and pulls
, but somehow, for the first
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