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“So…did he…do you know if he came here to see me?” She tucked a curl behind her ear. “I mean, did he mention me?”
My caustic reply was stopped in its tracks when a dark shadow fell over the two of us. We turned to the implacable man whose eyes were pinned on me in accusation. I’d only gone to the bathroom, so he had nothing to accuse me of. But since he always thought the worst of me, he’d probably come up with something.
“Ellie, time to go back to the table.” He gripped my nape. “Come on.”
“Lachlan, I—”
He cut Emily off with one look. She flinched backward, hitting the counter. I almost felt sorry for her, when moments before I’d been contemplating how to accidentally spill an entire bottle of ketchup on her head.
He led me away from an open-mouthed Emily so fast, I stumbled over my feet. That was the danger in wearing flip-flops. When being manhandled by large men, they became a tripping hazard.
“You’re going to relax,” he said in a smooth, sure tone, as if it were fact.
“Have you met me?” I uttered.
“Relax.”
“Stop trying to boss me.”
He sighed heavily. “We’re talking when we get home.”
“There’s nothing to say.”
“I think there is. We’re talking.”
Our friends were staring as we approached the booth. I guessed me being led back to the table like a naughty puppy wasn’t an everyday sight. He let me go so I could sit down, but instead of returning to my seat between him and Marco, I kept going, climbing over Marco’s lap to squeeze myself between him and Zadie.
“Daddy scolded me for taking too long in the bathroom,” I told our gawking friends. “I’ve learned my lesson and won’t ever do it again.”
“Oh my god,” Zadie whispered.
“I know, right?” I whispered back. “That guy’s a weirdo.”
When Lachlan finally sat down, Marco scooted closer to me, draping his arm over the back of the booth. “Is your man going to kill me for this?” he murmured.
“No, but I will if you imply he’s my man again,” I replied, not bothering to keep my voice low. The jealousy monster down at the bottom of the darkest part of me was being fed a feast right now, loving that I’d allowed it to take over and act out, if only a little bit.
“Well, this isn’t awkward at all.” Helen rested her chin on her hand and pointed back and forth between me and Lock. “What’s the deal here?”
I shrugged. “You’ll have to ask Lock.”
“No deal.” His rough denial cut off any further comments.
I spent the rest of our meal ignoring Lock and the questioning looks from my friends. For their part, once the food came—delivered by a silent and contrite Emily—they moved on without further acknowledging the weirdness that had settled over us.
Not satisfied in the slightest from the few bites I’d managed to choke down, I hooked my arm through Marco’s as we exited the cursed diner. At least I got some satisfaction out of this act of defiance.
It had felt that way, until I noticed Lock wasn’t with us in the parking lot. Through the salt-smeared windows, I spotted Lock pulling Emily aside, their cloudy figures close together. His head was bent toward hers as he spoke to her. Her chin was raised as she stared up at him with hopeful eyes.
My stomach lurched. My destructive urges flowed through me like lava. If I didn’t get out of here, fast, I’d give in to them. I hated Lock for making me revert to my old ways, powerless over my own brain.
Except, that wasn’t true. I still had the power. I chose not to give in and destroy. Theo and Helen were already headed toward his car. I broke away from Marco, skittering after them through the parking lot.
“I’m riding with you guys,” I called.
They stopped and waited for me. Theo opened the door, and I crammed myself into the back seat. When she got settled and Theo rolled out of the parking lot, Helen turned around, sweeping me over with narrowed eyes.
“You have a thing for Lock, huh?” She said it so bluntly, without emotion or pity, I didn’t even think to deny it.
