“Youlikesit?” He beamed like I’d just paid him the greatest compliment. His soft brown hair curling around his ears and wisping down his neck.
Cheeks chubby and pink.
“I do.”
“I is one,” he told me with a bob of his head.
He’d come clad in black jeans and a white tee and Converse on his feet. He had a fake tattoo of a heart that was beginning to peel on the back of his hand.
Hands down, he was the cutest little rebel ever. Hopefully his father’s bad behavior didn’t rub off on him.
“Almost two,” Elena clarified. “And I am twenty-two.”
With a slight laugh, she shimmied her shoulders, sending her ponytail swishing.
Elena was clad in a pink tank, high-waisted jeans, and sandals.
Definitely not dressed like the few women I’d seen hanging out around the bonfire last night.
She dipped down and scooped up Kai.
“You probably didn’t actually want to know that.” Self-deprecation rolled out of her as she inched closer to the high counter that separated us. “But just in case you see me sipping on a beer, I didn’t want you to run over and snatch it away from me like some of these punks like to do!”
She raised the last portion like the handful of men working in the bays attached to the office would overhear.
“I swear to God, they treat me like I’m ten,” she mumbled under her breath.
She leaned against the countertop, a tease all over her face. “Or maybe you did want to know because friends know these things about each other, right?”
It sounded almost hopeful.
My head spun. I was having a heck of a time trying to keep up with what in the world was happening.
“Um, yeah, I guess they do.”
Silence wafted around us before her brows lifted to her hairline in a prodding question.
Wait, what?
Is that what she was suggesting?
That we were supposed to be friends? And if so, then clearly I was supposed to reciprocate.
“I’m twenty-six.” I choked out the words.
I was surprised she didn’t fist pump the air with the way she grinned. “I feel like that’s perfect. I mean, there are a lot ofwomen roaming around here, but I don’t think they really like me.”
Okay, I thought it was impossible not tolikeher, and I hated Silas Mercer even more for it.
I bet he treated her terribly.
I bet he lied and manwhored and complained and left her waiting for him at night.
That was if he didn’t treat herreally, reallybadly, as if all of that wasn’t horrible enough.
Rage blistered through my insides at the thought.
If he did, I’d take her with me when I left. I’d figure out a way to get her and that adorable little boy out of here to someplace safe.
