“Is that a euphemism?” I ask, letting my gaze drift down to her breasts, cocking a smirk, waggling my eyebrows… Goddess, anything to make her laugh, to see the light in her eyes again.
But my usual charms fall flat, and Stevie turns away without another word, vanishing down the stairs with Carly.
“Rude.” Ani shrugs. “Was it something I said?”
“Maybe it’s just yourface, gingersnap.” I give him a playful shove right off the edge of the bed, but my mood is anythingbutplayful.
Stevie was right. Thisisn’tour Ani. Not all of him, anyway. Whether he’s dark or not, some vital part of him, some spark that made him whole and made him ours—it’s gone.
And I don’t know how— or evenif—we’ll ever get it back.
Thirty
STEVIE
I’ve just lit the last candle on the back deck when Baz strolls out through the sliding door with Ani, the two of them laden down with a platter of raw meat, several bags of munchies, and a cooler full of beer and hard lemonades.
“Excuse me,” Carly says, hands on hips, shooting them both a death glare. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“What?” Baz asks. “We were planning to barbecue tonight.”
I head over and stand at Carly’s side, crossing my arms over my chest and doubling up on the death glare. “Sorry, boys. Take your meat back inside—this space is a DFZ.”
Ani cocks an eyebrow. “Awhatnow?”
“Dick-Free Zone.” I glare pointedly at his crotch. “So unless you want to sacrifice that thing to the goddess or see it roasted on the barbecue, I suggest you get the hell back inside.”
“Oh, is that for us?” Nat saunters over, helping herself to the tray of meat in Baz’s hands. “Thank you!”
“But I—”
“Music!” I say suddenly, reaching into Ani’s pocket and stealing his phone. “You always have thebestplaylists.”
“You brought alcohol too?” Isla relieves Ani of his cooler, flashing a broad grin. “You guys thought of everything!Sooosweet! Thanks!” Her smile drops. “Now go away.”
Baz blinks like a deer in headlights, reaching out for the long-lost tray of meat, but Nat’s already setting pieces of chicken and beef onto the grill, slathering them with the jerk sauce Isla made, the smoke and sizzle promising an excellent meal.
“Was there something else?” Carly asks, tapping her foot impatiently. “Or did you need a live demo of the consequences of violating the DFZ?”
“Why doesheget to stay?” Ani thumbs toward Jareth, who’s preening on top of his favorite sandstone out back.
“Because unlike you guys,hedoesn’t talk back.” I grab the bags of tortilla chips from the crook of Ani’s arm, then shove both boys back inside, slamming the door behind them.
“And don’t come back,” Carly calls after them, “unless you’d like to learn the true definition of a weenie roast.”
“Goddess, you’re a brutal bitch,” I tell her. “I think I might marry you after all.”
“Ehh, you’re not my type. But when it comes to scaring away the boys, I’ve always got your back.”
“Good to know.”
“Goddess, I thought those boys would never leave.” Professor Broome files out the door with an armload of brightly-colored bottles of soap bubbles and wands, Professor Maddox following behind with a case of champagne and something that looks a lot like a saber.
“What’s all that?” I ask.
“Bubbles, of course,” Broome replies, her eyes sparkling. “For the stars-and-moon ceremony.”
I grin, shaking my head. “And we need an ancient weapon for the stars-and-moon ceremony because…?”
