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“You didn’t let me finish. I don’t care what you think.”
He seems surprised, and it takes him a beat torespond. “If you say so.” He spins me so Ethan and Anya are out of sight. “Saw you looking for me. That was sweet.” I don’t miss the mockery in his tone.
“I’m confused. Last time I saw you, you didn’t want me to go. Now, you toy with me. I swear you give me whiplash, Silas.” I ask, trying to slip out of his grasp because no matter the things I feel for him, the rightness of being in his arms, this man can get under my skin like no other.
“I’m not toying with you.”
“Right. I wasn’t looking for you by the way.”
“I thought we agreed not to lie to each other.”
“We didn’t agree on anything. What are you doing here, Silas?”
“Came to see you on your big night, Barbie.”
“Do you get some sick pleasure out of antagonizing me?”
He shrugs a shoulder. “It’s very easy to get a rise out of you.” Silas chuckles, but his mood is serious. Weighted. This banter is an act. I get under his skin just like he gets under mine.
“Did you really buy our house?” I ask.
“Did I come up in conversation?” he counters, taking in the room, gaze catching somewhere over my shoulder. I glance back to see it’s Mr. Fox he’s locked eyes with. I shiver, and Silas looks down at me. I’m sure he felt me shudder.
“Is it worth it?” I ask.
“What?’
“Coming here just to piss him off?”
“I told you. I came to see your big moment.”
“Then you’ll be disappointed. How did you finagle an invitation?”
He shrugs a shoulder. “Charm.”
I roll my eyes. “Are you dancing with me to irritate them?”
He opens his mouth, closes it and when he finally speaks, I get the feeling he was going to say something other than what he ends up saying. “I like dancing with you, actually.” He pauses, eyes searching mine, gaze honest. I feel myself soften, my skin warm. But then he continues. “Pissing off Sly and Ethan is just a bonus, not my end goal, not tonight.”
“Did you buy our house?” I ask again.
He grins. “You look appropriate, by the way. I’m sure the Foxes are very pleased. But you know I like you better natural.”
“Why do all the men in my life get a say on how I look?”
“Am I a man in your life then?”
“Why can’t I just be me?”
“This isn’t you. The sweet girl with wild hair and big glasses is you.”
“This isn’t you, either. The boy who always came to my rescue, that’s you.”
“Maybe I am here to rescue you. Maybe I will always come to rescue you.” He spins me. “Broken hero or not. Villains often win, don’t they? The otherendings are fairy tales. Don’t you know that yet, little girl?”
“You’re infuriating.” I tug my hand to free it from his, intending on slipping away but Silas tightens his grip.
“Whoa, Barbie. Calm down.”
