A beat later, he drags his attention back to me.
“Yours would be a deep purple, like that beautiful amethyst in your studio.”
“You remembered I have that?”
“Of course I do.”
Like forgetting something that matters to me isn’t even an option.
I hate how easily he gets to me when he’s attentive and playful. Especially now that we’re keeping whatever this is hidden at all costs.
That secrecy? It’s practically an invitation for Tom to turn it into a game. And he plays dirty— A look that dares me. here, a laden word there.
Little things only the two of us would notice. Never anything too obvious.
It shouldn’t feel this good, but my hedonic hotspots are firing like fireworks. Probably not healthy.
I keep telling myself it means I’m human.
Most selfish excuse ever.
Stella perks up. “Okay, and me? What color would my tail be?”
Tom flashes her a crooked grin.
“Yours would be a soft yellow, buttercup.”
I almost choke. He’s doing this on purpose, the little shit. He wants a reaction. And Stella… Why is she even here? I need to tell him about her chat with Terrence. I planned to do it during our hike, but then the Mermaid Pool happened.
I cough. “Bella, was it?”
“Stella.”
“Sorry to be rude, Stella, but Tom and I usually have our evaluation moment around this time, so…”
“So… what?”
I look at Tom, silently begging him to save me. He doesn’t. He loves this. Loves watching me squirm like a stranded fish. Finally, he stretches with a yawn and steps in.
“It means you need to go check whether those tulips in the lobby are the real deal.”
“Ohhh, It’s a therapy thing. Got it.” She pushes herself off the sunbed, strolling away.
Once she’s gone, I let go of all the air in my lungs.
Tom is watching me with amused, narrowed eyes.
I flip my palms. “What!?”
“Nothing. Just stick with purple, love. Green is not your shade.”
“I’m not—!” I huff, then drop my voice to a hiss. “I’m not jealous. There’s something you should know. Stella has been selling you out.”
His smirk vanishes. “What do you mean?”
I tell him everything I overheard her saying to Terrence. About her thinking Chris and Effy are Jay’s children. About the fire burning the estate down. About Emily vanishing that day.
Tom’s face flushes a deep, furious red. He lifts a hand to cover half his face, fighting to keep his anger in check.
