The Peer and the Puppet (When Rivals Play, #1) (77)

“So you like Eminem?”

“I stole Jamie’s iPod.”

Sure enough, I spotted his iPod hooked up to his speakers on her desk. He had been crying about losing it, and all along she had it. I sunk onto the foot of her bed and rested my forearms on my knees so I could see her face.

“You didn’t come to my room.”

“I was completely serious when I said I wouldn’t.”

I wrapped her wavy blonde hair in my fist and tilted her head back before kissing her lips. When I pulled away, I stared into her unfocused eyes. “And I was completely serious when I said you shouldn’t test me.”

“Actually, you dared me to.” She pulled away and sighed. “What do you want?”

“I want you…” I thought about leaving it at that but knew that I couldn’t. “…to stop causing trouble.”

“You like me tame, and you like me wild, remember?”

I would have kissed her again or something else stupid, but the mutt chose that moment to growl and bark.

“Good boy,” Four cooed. She scratched behind his ears when he crawled into her lap.

“What kind of dog is he, anyway?”

“I’m not sure…a Lab, I think.”

“That’s all? I doubt he was bred pure.”

“God, you’re pretentious.” She looked ready to punch me.

Closing my eyes, I prayed for a little patience. When I opened them, she was still glaring. “Dogs have character traits just like humans. It would make training and caring for him easier if you knew his needs.”

“Oh.”

“I’m not always an asshole,” I teased. Her lips twisted with humor, and I was tempted to kiss her again. “Where did your teacher find him?”

“He only said outside of town.”

“The easiest way to find out what he is would be to find out where he came from.”

“I don’t really care, Ever.” She whispered the words so softly that I almost didn’t hear them. She also wouldn’t look me in the eye, so I lifted her chin.

“Then it doesn’t fucking matter.”

She finally let me see those pretty brown eyes and the surprise that shown through them. “Why are you being somewhat pleasant after this morning?”

“Somewhat?”

“Think what you want, but you’re always an asshole.”

I paused. It wasn’t as if I could deny it. A part of me needed her to hate me so that maybe she’d be strong enough to stay away. It was becoming more clear every day that I damn well fucking couldn’t. Four was a magnet and I stopped resisting her pull a long time ago. “And you have a thick skull.”

“Because I don’t want you bossing me around?” She pursed her lips, not knowing how hungry it made me.

“Because you don’t listen even when you should.”

“Maybe I would if the person giving me orders wasn’t you.”

“What about your mother?”

“She only cares about falling in love. She should have just aborted me when she had the chance.”

Anger burned inside my gut as I practically snatched her from the floor. The mutt fell from her lap and whined his displeasure as I laid his mother on her back and settled between her legs. “Don’t say shit like that. It’s beneath you.” It also bled like a fatal wound to know she thought so little of her life.

“How would you know?”

“Even a blind man can see what you’re worth.” My answer didn’t seem like enough. How did I put into words that the mere thought of her not breathing the same air as me made me a little less desperate for my next breath? Could I even trust her with that kind of power?

She snorted and looked away, baring her neck to me. My lips landed on her warm skin, and her body vibrated beneath me.

“What are you doing?” she gasped.

“I’m enjoying you. You owe me a kiss, anyway.”

“You’re either bipolar or you have selective memory.” She shoved me away and sat up while I leaned back on my elbow. “What’s your problem, McNamara?” That was her second time asking me today.

Running my hand through my hair, I decided to tell her the truth. “I was feeling fucked up.”

“Obviously,” she snarled. “Why?”

“I fucked up, and I blamed you.” It wasn’t much of an explanation, but it was all I could give her.

“Why would you blame me?”

“The guy we ran into the day we took you to the city was Exiled.”

“I know. I recognized him. He was there that day I followed you.” Her lips parted as worry entered her eyes. “Do you think he made you?”

“I know he did. He followed us here.”

She gasped. “Are you in danger?”

“I can handle myself.” I waved her off even though her concern felt damn good. It wasn’t me I was afraid for. Wren knowing where I lived meant he could get to Four anytime he wanted.

“That guy seemed like he could, too.”

She wasn’t wrong, but I wasn’t afraid of Wren. He was the least of my worries. Never finding Fox was what kept me up at night but I could understand her fear. Wren Harlan was a force to be reckoned with, and anyone who had his loyalty would be unstoppable.