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And I meant doll almost literally because I swear I’d had a porcelain toy once that looked exactly like this chick.
“Nice to meet you.” I waved back as I plopped my backpack heavily onto the floor and sat with a huff in the empty chair next to Jay. “But I hope you don’t mind listening to whining and complaining because I plan to doa lotof that here in the next few minutes.”
But all she did was wave out a hand in invitation. “As long as you don’t leave out any juicy details, I say, whine away.”
So I did…all the way through the meal.
“Which means,” I concluded, “whenever you see Blaire’s segment, just knowIwrote that beautiful assortment of words.”
“I’ll picture your face as I watch it,” Raina swore with a flourish, making me smile and decide I liked her.
Jaylani was bored with the topic, though, and ready to move on to something she thought was more interesting.
“So how’s the new apartment?” she asked. “Do you like your roommate? Thalia, right?”
When I hesitated—my thoughts veering toward my roommate’sbrother—Jay cringed. “Oh no. Is she that bad?”
“What?” Tearing my mind from Damien and that talented mouth of his, I blinked at the two ladies watching me. “Oh! No, Thalia’s fine. I mean, she might not be the most cheerful morning person, but other than that, she’s a pretty good roommate actually. I rarely ever see her.” I laughed at that before admitting, “But, oh my goodness, it’s been too long since we last talked. You need to hear aboutthisbit of craziness. So last week, I was sitting at the counter, eating my breakfast when someone burst into the apartment…wielding an umbrella.”
I went through the whole encounter with Damien and even added this morning’s debacle of Thalia taking off and refusing to see him. The only part I didn’t mention was our steamy kiss or his invitation for us to hook up.
Or just how insanely attracted to him I was.
“Dude, that’s weird,” Jay said with a cringe.
“Right?” I said, splaying my hand in her direction. “I still can’t figure out why she ran off. Or why she didn’t tell him she was back in town. Or why she accepted me as a tenant without evennotifyinghim first. It’s all just…so bizarre.”
“Yeah, no.She’snot the one I was worried about,” Jaylani spoke up, watching me with concern. “I mean, what’s up with thisbrother? The fact that your roommateranfrom him immediately puts him on my radar. I think you need to watch yourself around him.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Raina spoke up. “He sounds sus. Actually, I was wondering if he was even your roommate’s brother at all.”
“Huh?” I made a face and shook my head. “Of course, he’s her brother. He…”
“He what?” Jaylani arched a censorious eyebrow. “He showed you his identification?”
“Well, no…” I uttered. “But I saw on his phone where my deposit was placed. And Thalia said the money was going into herbrother’saccount.”
“So he had access to the brother’s information,” Jaylani argued. “That just makes him creepier.”
“Totally,” Raina agreed, wincing in apology when I swerved a hard glance her way. “Hey, you said your roommate always describes him as younger and cute and little, which this guy obviously isnot. Maybe he’s a psycho ex who still has a key to her place and just pretended to be her brother in order to try to get closer to her throughyou.”
“What?No…” I started, shaking my head and making a face, unable to believe such a crazy claim…no matter how much credence it might have. “You two are going way off base here. That isnotthe case at all.”
“Then why did she take off the moment he showed up?” Jaylani demanded. “That’s fucking fishy.”
Okay, yeah, it was.
“But if hewasn’ther brother, then why didn’t she justtellme so?” I countered, making a face.
“Maybe she’s too scared to say anything,” Raina suggested logically. “Maybe he’s threatened to hurt her if she exposes his true identity.”
Except I didn’t want to think of Damien as a liar and creepy ex-stalker that my roommate wasscaredof. I wanted him to stay the sad brother who just wanted to see his sister...and then hook up withme.
And seriously, if he was obsessed with her, then why’d he kiss me like I was the freaking air he breathed?
“I don’t know…” I started hesitantly. “Thalia acts weirder about it than he does. I mean, she either gives me vague answers, evading almost everything I ask, or she straight-up ignores me. I honestly feel as if I can trust Damien more than I can her.”
“Oh, girl…” Jaylani moaned, clutching her chest and acting as if I’d just stabbed her. “You wound me. You wound all women when you takethe guy’sside over hers.”
