“Hm,” he says, raising a brow and sucking on the joint. “Are you sure? Because it seems like we would have fucked.”
“Well, we didn’t,” I say. “Which is a good thing, because that would be even more weird.”
“Because you fucked Preston?”
“Because Baron said we’re related.”
He snorts. “Yeah, I believe Baron Dolce about as much as I believe that Elvis is alive. He’s probably partying it up with Marilyn Monroe and my cousin right now.”
“So, what’s your situation this year?” I ask, accepting the joint from him and leaning on one of the supports. “Is it dangerous for you to be out here with me?”
“I don’t know,” he says slowly, speaking through a mouthful of smoke. “Is it?”
I think of Royal showing up everywhere I go. I wouldn’t put it past him to have spies at this school, and not just his brothers. It could get back to him.
And yet…
Things are different now. I have power now, too.
“You know, they don’t have to have absolute power,” I say. “I know I didn’t take them down, and you’re not in a hurry to go up against them, which I totally understand. But there are only two of them at this school now. They’ve lost their god. The twins are mortal.”
“You sure about that?” he asks, giving me some side eye as he takes the joint back. “Because I think demons are immortal, unless you disembowel them, dip them in acid, and boil their entrails in a vat of goat oil for a half century.”
I can’t help but laugh. It feels strange and rickety coming out of me, like whatever’s inside a person that produces that sound is broken in me. I guess it is. I can’t remember the last time I’ve genuinely laughed.
Colt grins, watching me with a strange expression that lets me know the laugh didn’t sound normal to him, either.
“I’m not saying we need to mess with them,” I say. “But maybe you could have a friend. If they think we’re related, they have no reason to be jealous when we hang out.”
“Probably why they told you that,” Colt agrees. “To keep you from being all up on my dick again this year.”
I roll my eyes, but I can’t help but wonder if he’s right. Is that the whole reason they said that? To keep me from fucking one of the Darlings again? After finding out what lengths the twins will go to just to mess with someone’s head, I wouldn’t put anything past them. They might have just told me to watch me freak out.
“Well, my mom says there’s no way it’s true, and I believe her. She may not win awards for mom of the year, but she has no reason to lie about it.”
“Of course it’s not true,” Colt agrees.
“I’ll work something out with the demon twins,” I say. “So you’ll be protected.”
Colt just gives a little snort and shakes his head, but he doesn’t argue. He doesn’t think I can do it, but that’s okay. I’m used to being underestimated, and today I’d rather lie low and catch up on what I missed. When I’m ready to show my cards, he’ll know exactly how much power I have at this school.
thirty-two
Harper Apple
Relief swells inside me when I walk out of school that afternoon and see that no one is waiting by my car. Royal stayed true to his word. I ignore the irritating flicker of disappointment that pops up. What the fuck is wrong with me? He’s giving me what I wanted, what I asked for.
But the truth is, seeing him so much has made it less painful each time. At first, it was shocking and terrifying and soul shattering. Now, some dumb bitch part of me misses his big broody presence, misses him being here to show me that he’s still sorry, even if he doesn’t say it, and that he still owes me, even if I told him I didn’t want anything from him except to be left alone.
I try not to think about what he said to me this morning, but I can’t help it. Now that I’m not on high alert just trying to make it through the minefield of Willow Heights social scene without getting myself blown up, his dirty words come back to me. I shiver and press my knees together. He could always get me going with his filthy mouth, but I shouldn’t be so basic now. I shouldn’t be affected. In fact, I should punch him in the nuts for thinking he could say those things to me.
By the time I get home and see the Range Rover parked on the other side of the street, I’m pissed. Mom’s car is not here, so she must be out with her friends enjoying her retirement. I park in our driveway and march over to the Rover, ready to give him a piece of my mind, but he’s not in the car. Disconcerted, I check all the seats, like he might be hiding in the trunk or something. The car is empty. I shake my head, trying to clear it of the crazy-town thoughts that invade when he gets under my skin. He’s not here. I have no clue why he left his car—maybe a warning that he’s not done with me even if he didn’t break our agreement? That’s none of my concern right now, though. I have makeup assignments. That’s my concern.
I grab my backpack and head inside.
Royal is sitting on our couch—no, not our couch. Our couch is a camouflage print of stains left from liquor and beer and piss and semen. Even I don’t sit there without putting down a blanket.
“Hey, Cherry Pie,” Royal says with a smug grin. “How was your first day of school?”