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I didn’t. Instead, I glared at her. “My monsters can’t be danced away, Rainbird. They’ll devour anyone in their path.”
She raised her chin, meeting my hardened gaze head-on. “Monsters don’t scare me anymore, Vic.”
I didn’t like it. I didn’t like that she wasn’t running. That she wasn’t scared of me. That my control was faltering, and every single part of me wanted to claim her. To put my little bird in a cage and never let her fly away again.
My eyes narrowed. “They should.” I turned to walk back to my truck as I said over my shoulder, “Be ready by four tomorrow.”
“Ready? For what?” she called after me.
“To go to Hettie’s. I’m driving.”
I didn’t have to look at her to see her expression. I heard her intake of breath.
The corners of my lips curved up.
Macayla
Vic was going to Hettie’s for dinner—with us. There’d been no asking if we wanted to go together. And it hadn’t been a suggestion.
I thought about leaving early and avoiding the situation completely, especially after last night. God, had I really flirted with him? Pretty much dared him to kiss me. I was totally blaming the drunken effects of silly dancing.
I glanced at my cell on the kitchen counter as I held the blow-dryer over Jackson’s charcoal slacks. Shit, it was four. What were the chances of Vic being late?
Jackson had dropped his chocolate ice-cream cone on his pants and insisted on wearing them tonight, which meant I was running late.
I heard the low rumble of Vic’s truck pull up. “Jacks, Vic is here. Can you get the—” Jackson was already running for the door. “—door,” I mumbled beneath my breath.
I wasn’t prepared for Vic. I never was, but when Jackson threw open the door and he strode in, my jaw dropped, and all kinds of twinges erupted between my legs.
He wore dark jeans that hung low on his hips with a leather belt. His shirt was a white, button-down dress shirt, untucked and casual, with the cuffs undone and pushed partway up his forearms, revealing his ink.
The scent of soap wafted off him as he walked toward me, and I had to consciously stop myself from sucking it in.
“Babe,” he said, frowning.
Burning. I smelled burning. I screeched, yanking the blow-dryer cord from the outlet. Crap, I’d nearly set the pants on fire.
He looked me up and down. “You’re not ready.” It was a statement.
I wasn’t. I’d showered and put my hair up in a messy twist, but I had on a Darth Vader T-shirt and joggers because I’d been staring at my closet deciding what to wear when Jackson came in my room with chocolate ice-cream on his pants.
So I most definitely wasn’t ready.
“There was ice cream on his pants. Can you give me five minutes?” I asked, holding them up. There was a small dark spot on the right thigh, but they would do. “Jacks. Here,” I called, and tossed him his pants.
Vic moved into the kitchen and settled his ass against the counter. “You need ten. Take ten,” he said.
“No. I can hurry. I’ll be right back.” I ran into my bedroom and glanced at the outfits scattered over my bed. I’d never spent time debating about what to wear. I’d never worried about my clothes like other kids at school, but suddenly I couldn’t decide what to wear. Not that I had too many outfits to choose from.
When I cut off all ties with my father two years ago, I’d left everything. Clothes, car, my apartment at university. Cell phone. I didn’t want a single thing that he’d paid for.
Everything I had now, I’d bought with my own money. No reminders of him. And nothing he could take away.
I skimmed through the clothes on the hangers. Was a little sexy black dress too much? Yes, definitely too much. Maybe a sweater and jeans. Jeans were always a safe option. Or I could wear the jeans with a plain black V-neck. Simple and go-anywhere style.
I heard Jackson talking to Vic and saying something about Aquaman swimming in the river this afternoon. Then he asked if Vic wanted to catch frogs with him after school tomorrow. I didn’t hear his response, but I could guess what it had been.
Screw it. I grabbed a sweaterdress off the hanger and yanked it over my head. It was charcoal gray with an oversized hood and a wide band at the hem that was snug and clung to my thighs. It was a little shorter than I liked, but it was comfortable and a go-anywhere style that looked great with my brown lace-up paddock boots.
