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Mikel came up behind her, hands warm when they slid under the hem of her shirt to stroke the smooth skin of her stomach and hold her against him. For a long moment, they were just close, quiet, then he pressed his lips to that same spot at the base of her neck in a soft kiss.
“You have a neck fetish,” Violet joked. He hummed against her back. “That’s where you’d bite me to…you know?”
“Mate you.” He kissed that spot again, sucked it and nipped at it with his teeth. She shivered. “Yes.”
“What happens if you don’t?” She already had an idea, but she was becoming less opposed to being bitten and wanted to hear it again.
“Don’t have to worry about that yet,” he told her gruffly before he pressed a kiss to her cheek and stepped away. “I ordered a TV. Red helped, said it has the Net Flicks and you’d like that. Want to pick up breakfast on the way to get it?”
Violet turned to look at him, touched by his generosity, but not entirely comfortable with it.
“I don’t want to keep taking your money, Mikel. Is there some place in town I can get a job or—?”
“You help with the deliveries. I can give you the same pay I give Red, if you want. It’s just not necessary.”
She thought it over and nodded. “I don’t want to just take from you.”
His brow furrowed while he seemed to think this over and he nodded. “All right. Still getting the TV though. You can pay me back by showing me how to use it.”
She rolled her eyes at him. He washopelesswith technology, but he could make masterpieces out of tree trunks. It made no sense.
“Deal.”
“HEY! I SAWJack at the diner, and he told me they’re moving lumber till late. Come to the bonfire with us!” Red pleaded when Violet opened the front door late that afternoon, hands covered in paint.
“Didn’t you call out to spend this entire weekend fucking?” she shot back, surprised by the offer.
“Yeah, but we’re going to the bonfire first, and you should meet Dani, and it’sso muchfun, babe.” Her eyes narrowed. “Why do you smell like wood stain?”
“Trying to be helpful.” Violet’s gaze flicked to the sleek black sports car idling at the end of the driveway. “Do I have time to get changed, or…?”
“Totally, I’ll ask Dani to come back for us in like an hour?”
Red didn’t wait for a response before she trotted off to relay the message. Violet left the door cracked and went inside to put the lid on the paint she’d been using in the shop and make sure the coffee table she’d been working on looked like it would dry evenly.
When she stepped back into the house, Red emerged from the kitchen holding two of Mikel’s glass tumblers full of sparkling, golden liquid. “Champagne! Thank you, Dani,” she sang, and her good mood was already rubbing off on Violet.
She tipped her head, impressed, and took a glass.
“To the moon,” Red toasted, “and to you and Mikelfinallydoing the thing.” She made an obscene hand gesture followed by a crass impression of an explosion.
Violet almost choked on her mouthful of drink.
“Get your pervert nose away from me!” she hissed.
At the same time Red demanded, “So, was he good?”
VIOLET SLID OUTof the backseat of Dani’s car, surprised when Dani stepped into her path.
“Are you okay to be here?” It took her a long moment to understand she meant the square.
The space was already lit with the orange glow of fire and thrumming with laughter and chatter and a low drumbeat that stirred something in her blood, or maybe that was the champagne. This was the place they tried to kill her.
“Yeah, I’m fine, thanks.” Violet smiled up at her. Daniella was cool, and if Violet wasn’t tipsy, she’d probably be a little intimidated by her. She was the epitome of brunette glamazon, sleek and sophisticated, with dark-chocolate eyes and wicked, resting bitch face.
“I’m glad,” Dani said. The smile she received registered as genuine to Violet. “Does Mikel know you’re here?”
“Left him a note.”
