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“Please, Sam. She’s been through enough heartache. Leave her alone.”
“And if I told you I had nothing but honorable intentions toward your sister?”
“It doesn’t matter. She doesn’t know what you are, doesn’t understand what she’d be getting herself into with you. Just leave her out of your life.”
“Don’t worry. I have no interest in a Boston princess.” The words tasted bitter in my mouth. I could pretend all I wanted that Piper was just like any other spoiled trust fund baby, but I’d seen her soul. I knew better, no matter how much I lied to myself and anyone else around me.
But it didn’t matter what her soul looked like, that it had only gotten brighter and more striking over the years that had passed between us. It didn’t matter that I wanted her more now than I had the first time I laid eyes on her or that the kiss in the closet had been just as bewitching as our first kiss.
She was still a human.
Whether I gave a crap about Nacio’s opinion of my worthiness to be with his sister, I did give a crap about keeping my freedom and the heavenly fire in my veins. I wouldn’t make the same mistakes as my parents.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Nacio said.
I smirked at him. “Fair warning, you’re going to be hurting.”
“I’ll survive.”
I was done with this conversation. I turned away, pulling out my phone as I walked, knowing everyone would get out of my way. They always did even if they didn’t know why they were moving.
“What’s up?” Joriel answered on the first ring.
“I need you to work with Nacio tomorrow morning. Make sure he’s up to speed.”
“Anything you need.”
“Thanks.” I killed the call and held the passenger door to my car open for Daphne.
She tilted her head at me in a silent question, one she wasn’t going to be getting an answer to.
I wasn’t about to explain that I’d handed over Nacio’s training because I was afraid I’d break him if I worked with him. Nacio hadn’t told me anything I didn’t already know. I wasn’t good enough for Piper Amato. We were in different classes, and we could never mix. Didn’t mean I wanted the reminder. And it didn’t keep me from wanting to take my anger out on him.
Seven
Piper
I fiddledwith my phone while taking periodic sips of the cocktail Gayle had given me. I’d never felt so nervous while inside the walls of Youngblood. Then again, I usually stuck to speaking with Gayle, Jules, and strangers I never had to see again. Meeting Shawn here was new territory for me.
Gayle stopped in front of me and held out her hand. “Give me your phone. I’ll let you know if anything that counts as an emergency happens.”
“Why do I need to surrender my phone?”
“Because I’ve seen you check it ten times in the past couple of minutes. Stop waiting for him to text you.”
“I’m not—”
“And,” she said louder, “if you don’t give me your phone, I won’t make you any fancy cocktails.”
“Will you make me non-fancy cocktails?” I asked, fighting the grin trying to creep onto my face.
“No. I’ll limit you to what’s on tap and you can drink like a peasant.”
I fake-shuddered and handed over my phone. Gayle was right—there wasn’t anything good coming from me holding on to it. Unless I wanted to reread my collection of borderline-threatening texts from my date over a week ago. Guy was more persistent than I’d originally given him credit for. I would delete the messages, but it seemed safer to keep the evidence in case I needed to do something other than block him.
She gave me a satisfied smile as she pocketed my phone. “Good girl.”
Ten minutes later, Gayle slid my phone back across the bar to me just before a familiar figure sat on the chair beside me. Shawn looked the same as he had last weekend. He was dressed in dark jeans and a soft-looking T-shirt, and his hair was adorably mussed.
