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I shrugged. “Still.”
His hand was heavy on the nape of my neck, firm and commanding. It sent a ripple down my spine that was complicated–a little bit of fear, a little bit of lust, a decent amount of sizzling fury.
Suddenly, he dropped his hand, as if he’d realized he was touching me.
Or as if he’d remembered that he hated me.
Stellan’s feelings seemed complicated. There was a part of me that felt sorry for him. The best parts of Stellan had been destroyed by his sister’s death, and I mourned her too.
But he still needed to pay for hurting me. I didn’t feelthatsorry for him.
“Where are we going?”
“Cain will want to see you for breakfast.”
“So you’re Cain’s personal manservant now? That must be fun. Maybemanservantis too dignified for you, and you’re more of a minion…”
He leaned close over my shoulder, his breath a huff. “It’s cute that you’re trying to fuck with me, but my ties to Cain aren’t going to be that easy for you to pick apart. Even with those sharp claws of yours.”
You’ll see how sharp my claws are, Stellan.
I walked into the dining room ahead of Stellan. Remy, Cain, and Pax were already waiting. Remy was kicked back in his chair, fiddling on his phone. Pax looked sullen, almost upset; then he saw me, and rapidly shifting emotions seemed to chase across his face.
Remy sat up suddenly. “She’s still here? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“She’s crazy,” Cain said.
“Takes one to know one.” I took my seat at the table, smoothing my napkin on my lap. God, I’d take whatever punishment they dished out–for the chance to deliver my own–but I just hoped they didn’t mess with my food. I was hungry. Whip my ass, fine, but give me my waffles.
Cain smiled at me pleasantly and laid the newspaper aside on the breakfast table. “How are you doing this morning, sweetheart?”
“That word sounds very odd on your lips.”
“I just realize now that we all misjudged you,” he said.
“That’s a quicker epiphany than I’d expect from any of you,” I shot back.
“What do you want for breakfast?” Stellan asked.
“Are you taking breakfast orders too?” I turned to Cain with wide eyes. “You’re really getting him trained!”
Maybe I should’ve taken my waffles, not potshots, but I couldn’t resist.
“I was going to put your order in with the kitchen,” Stellan said, his voice so mild-mannered that I was sure he’d spit in my breakfast.
But I told him what I wanted anyway. Stellan melted away, then came and sat down across from me.
They obviously had some game they were playing, something fun waiting for me. There was no point in asking. Cain was already eating his eggs.
Remy gave me a long, troubled look, then glanced at Cain and Stellan as if he were trying to read them. Finally, he turned to Pax, apparently deciding to just forge on as if I weren’t trapped in this circle of hell with them. “Ready for tonight’s match?”
“Yeah.” Pax didn’t sound very interested.
“You were up late studying for that Physics test.” Cain leaned back in his chair, drumming his fingers absently on the tabletop as he looked at Remy. “I thought the great Remington didn’t have to study.”
Remington shrugged. “I never said that. Just like the rest of you, I wasn’t born understanding the Dirac equation and how it describes all spin-half mass particles. But unlike the rest of you, I know now.”
Remington was so smart he gave me a headache, and based on the way Cain rolled his eyes before he sipped his coffee, Cain felt the same way.
