Page 20 of Mr. Risky

I bit back my retort that she didn’t know what he was capable of. But for that matter, neither did I. . .

“I—nothing, of course,” I backpedaled. “I just wondered if he had seen it or anything.”

“In fact, Hayden told me today that there was a nail stuck in your tire, so he and Granger took it to the shop for you.”

“Without my keys?” I asked, biting back my anger.

“Oh, Hayden just asked if Granger would haul it over on his truck and he did. That’s just a nice gesture from my brother, even though you have a boyfriend. Why are you so jumpy? What happened to you at grad school? Can’t you just appreciate nice guys exist?”

Can’t I? Is that my whole problem?

“I just wish someone had told me, is all.”

“Sosie, you just need to relax,” Pippa said. “Now, wish me luck. I’m going to go take another pregnancy test. I swear there was something on the first one I took this morning. But Granger said he couldn’t see anything.”

“Good luck,” I said in a choked tone.

The thought of him getting her pregnant while breaking into the guesthouse and forcing me to blow him made me sick.

The place on my ass where the Patch had been seemed to sting. That was another thing I needed my car for, to go get myself more birth control Patches.

Pippa linked arms with me and we began to stroll back toward the house. She bent and picked up a sand dollar.

“It’s so beautiful here. I don’t know how you could ever stand to leave this place.”

“My schooling—” I began.

“I don’t want any bullshit,” she suddenly demanded, dropping my arm to look me right in the eyes. “Why did you leave town right after my wedding?”

“I just wanted to try someplace new,” I said. “I’ve lived in Oystar Bay all my life, and I wanted to try something else.”

She narrowed her eyes. “That doesn’t explain why you didn’t respond to our calls. Why you never came home for holidays.”

“I have Jax,” I said. “He works at the coffee shop where I do a lot of studying.”

“How nice,” Pippa said, but she clearly didn’t give a shit. It was like she barely even listened most of the time. Except when I didn’t want her to. . .

There was silence for several minutes as I looked out over the Olympic-sized pool. Was it even possible to resuscitate our friendship? What exactly what I trying to go back to?

Did Granger ever regret the choice he had made? Or did he always just want to have his cake and eat it too. . .

“Every year there’s at least one Siren who tries to seduce my husband,” Pippa said at last.

My skin seemed to prickle with danger, and I felt droplets of sweat begin to form all along my hairline.

But I couldn’t look guilty.

“Why are you telling me this?” I asked directly.

“Thought you might want to know.”

“What is it to me?” I bit out.

“Well, excuse me for thinking you cared about my life. It’s annoying having to fend them off all the time. Females always think they have a chance with him, you know how these low-class women are.”

“Has Granger given you cause to worry?” I asked, my voice cooler than it had any right to be.

“No—of course not,” and then the mask was down over her face again. “You know how women are with a gorgeous man. So many don’t care if he’s married or not. They’ll do everything but throw themselves tits-out at him.”