Page 49

And all at once something clicks into place. I’m not even thinking about it—my body takes over for my brain, my left hand slicing against the inside of his elbow to loosen his grip so I can free my right arm and punch him square in the jaw.

I expect him to stumble back, maybe curse me out a little before Adrian takes care of him.

Instead, he drops to the floor like a sack of meat.

By now, all the customers around us have noticed what’s going on and are staring open-mouthed. I don’t care. “I did it!” Pumping my fist in the air, I can almost forget the pain in my knuckles. “I dropped him! Did you see that?” I ask Adrian as he marches the rest of the way across the dining room before reaching my side.

“I saw.” He glares down at the man, who is now muttering incoherently. “Every second of it.”

“I did it! Real-world experience, baby!” Raising my right hand, I expect a high five, which of course doesn’t come. “Oh, come on! Aren’t you proud of me?”

“We don’t high-five.”

“Fine.” I have to settle for high-fiving myself before he locks a hand around my elbow and leads me away. It’s not quite the same, but hey, I’m riding high.

“He was like twice my size! I can’t believe I did that!” My head is buzzing like an overturned hive by the time we reach the table. “Were you watching?” I ask Theo.

“I was. Nice work. However . . .” He stands, shoving a handful of cash into a leather folder, which I guess holds our bill. “We should go now.”

“But I wanted dessert . . .” I can’t help but look at the tray as one of the servers walks it past us. Maybe I could snatch what’s already on there?

“And I want to get out of here without attracting any more attention.” Adrian is staring over my shoulder, and when I look, I find two similarly dressed men helping my would-be attacker off the floor. “We need to go before things get any worse.”

“I should hit him again,” I muse as we leave. “Getting between me and tiramisu. The jerk.”

Once we’re outside, I look up at the sky. “I’d swear the stars look brighter now. The air is sweeter too.”

“Okay, warrior princess.” Theo seems to genuinely laugh for once as he unlocks his truck. “You did well in a real-world situation. Congratulations.”

“See?” I elbow Adrian and nod at Theo. “It’s not that hard to be supportive.”

Chapter Eighteen

Adrian

“Good night, you two.” Theo takes one slow step after another up the stairs, which creak softly under his weight. “I’m going to bed.”

“Good night, sleep tight.” The higher pitch in June’s voice and the rapid way her words come out tell me she’s still riding high from earlier. It’s adrenaline, pure and simple.

“You too,” he replies. I’m still fairly confident he has no idea what to make of her. That makes two of us.

Right now she’s like a kid on Christmas morning, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet, shaking out her hands. “They still kind of hurt,” she confesses. “Now I feel it.”

“The adrenaline is starting to wear off.” Leaning against the mantel, I can’t help but grin at her excitement.

And I’m reminded of how painfully young she is. She’s still fresh, untainted—except by me. Though I haven’t had time to truly stain her yet.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asks.

“How am I looking at you?”

“Like you don’t know what you’re looking at and aren’t quite sure you’re ever going to figure it out.”

Surprisingly accurate.

“I can’t believe Theo went to bed. I don’t think I could sleep if you paid me right now. I’m too . . .”

“Too energized?”