I turn to the two of them and shoot them a serious, most likely crazed look. “I’m whatever he wants me to be. And if you talk shit about him, make him feel anything other thanfuckingperfect, I’ll murder you both. No one will ever find the bodies. I guarantee it.”
Truthfully, I’ve never murdered anyone before, but I would. If anyone lays a hand on Maggie, looks at him wrong, or even breathes weirdly in his direction. I’m capable of anything when it comes to him, apparently.
He’s most likely more than a muse at this point.
His dad and brother stop breathing, their eyes wide. Silence permeates the table as they just stare at me. Both of them don’t know what to do. Or what to say.
Good. Let them shut their fat mouths.
I glower at them and then slap the table roughly, making them both jump.
“Boo, motherfuckers!” I shout and then laugh maniacally. I sound like a psychopath, but you know what? Did I ever claim to be anything else? No. No, I did not.
“Why the fuck can’t we all just get along? Huh? I don’t want to have to kill you,” I say with a toothy smile.
The two of them swallow roughly, and I pick up a menu and peruse it. “Let’s order. I’m starving. What’s good, Maggie? I’m thinking pie.”
Maggie’s hand snakes under the table and rests on my thigh. When it squeezes softly, I bite back a satisfied grin.
Worth it.
CHAPTERSIX
We walk to the truck in silence, my hands tucked into my pockets. The entire time we spent with my dad and brother, Sem didn’t leave my side, not even to go to the bathroom. And for the first time in ages, they wereniceto me. They didn’t make their typical degrading comments. They didn’t tease or mock me or make me feel like shit.
No, they were even fairly respectful.
They barely even glanced my way, actually. And for the first time in my entire life, I felt the dynamic of power shift in my favor. I felt like I had the upper hand.
And it was all because of Sem. Crazy, out-of-his-mind Sem.
After threatening them with murder, Sem was surprisingly calm. He sat back and ate his food, letting my dad, brother, and I talk. But if their comments even veered in a disrespectful direction, Sem would clench his fork like a weapon, and my dad and brother would clam up. It was the best thing I’ve ever experienced in my life. No one has ever done anything like that for me before. It was like my childhood dream of showing up to school with a superhero at my side and having him vanquish all the bullies.
Sem was my superhero today. He was remarkable.
When we reach his truck, Sem lifts me up and sets me on my seat. But before he can walk away, I reach out and grab onto his shirt.
“Sem,” I say, fisting the fabric in my hand. I’m sitting higher up than I usually stand, so we’re now eye to eye. I can see flecks of gold in his blue irises as he blinks slowly.
My other hand cups his neck, and I can feel his pulse throbbing wildly. He lowers his forehead to mine and exhales. “You’re angry,” he says roughly. “I shouldn’t have threatened them. I…I know I went a little nuts in there but your family sucks ass. Please don’t ask me to apologize. I can’t do it. I won’t do it.”
A manic giggle escapes my lips, and I bite it back. But Sem hears it. He lifts his head and meets my gaze with a confused look on his face.
“No, Sem. I’m not mad, and I don’t want you to apologize. I just…thank you. No one’s ever stood up for me like that before,” I say softly and then pull him into a tight hug.
I press my face against the skin of his neck and inhale deeply. He smells of motor oil and sage. It’s addicting.
Sem freezes for a moment, and then his large hands wrap around my back, and he pulls me a little closer. My legs wrap around his waist, and I cling to him. I’ve never felt safer than I do at this moment.
“I want to just go somewhere and chill. Away from here.”
“You could come back to my place,” Sem says, and I lean back, my brows scrunched in question.
“Don’t you live like an hour away?”
“Nah. Live pretty close to you, actually.”
My eyebrow lifts, “Is that so?”