Page 60 of Her Devils

I don’t tell her any of that though. “I’m not mad at you, Snow. You know how much I hate Penn. I saw how he didn’t stop straightaway when you said no and pushed him away. Let’s just say that he’s lucky you’re stronger than you look, because if he had insisted even for one more second, I would have kicked his ass. The second a woman says no, you back the fuck off.”

She considers my words. “Right.” She nods. “I must admit I’m confused. I thought I knew Darrius, but he’s turning out to be a different person than the sweet, smart guy I’ve known my entire life.”

I suppress a snort of disbelief at her words. Penn sweet and smart? Oh, my little Snow. She’s too trusting for her own good. Darrius Penn is a fucking snake.

“I’m glad you’re seeing his true colors, Snow. My mom always said that when someone shows you their true self, you’d be a fool not to believe them.”

Lenley sighs. “Your mom was a wise lady. Mypapàused to say something very similar.”

I nod. “And they were right. But we’re going to teach that asshole a lesson he’s never going to forget. Our plan is working, and I bet you a skydiving world title that Penn is thinking about you right now—with me.”

“So what you’re saying is that you aren’t mad about that kiss?”

I work hard to look more certain than I really feel. “Not mad at all. It’s exactly what we want.”

She gives me a strange look. “So if he tries to kiss me again...”

I clench my fists, fighting the urge to punch the wall at the thought. “If he tries again, just toy with him. Tease him within an inch of his life. It’s payback for all the times he hurt you. Eventually, you should show him how good you really got at kissing, but take it a little slow. We really want him to suffer and want you so much that he can’t think straight. So it’s a fine line between drawing him in and rejecting him. Just make sure you have all the power. You should give him hints that you’re even better than all the girls he chases and definitely better than the ones he’s been dating all your life.”

She looks at me for a long moment. “And if I kiss him again, our deal is still on, and you aren’t going to be jealous?”

I shrug, working hard to keep a neutral expression. “Jealous? Why? Unless your feelings have changed and you don’t want him anymore, we should stick to the rules. For our deal to work, it’s better if you don’t tell him to go to hell until he comes begging, telling you that he’s desperately in love with you, so a few kisses might be needed to keep him interested. As long as he doesn’t get to see you naked and feel your beautiful body, then you’re respecting our deal.” The words leave a bitter taste the second they come out of my mouth. I don’t know what the fuck is going on, or why there’s a tight, dull feeling in my chest. I chalk it up to the fact that I couldn’t do what I would have liked, which was beat Penn to a bloody pulp earlier on.

I reach out for Lenley, dying to hold her and lose myself in her floral scent and her soft, sexy body.

“Weren’t you starving?” she asks, scooting away from me and looking for her clothes on the floor. “Come on, I’m hungry too. Ordering takeout will take forever. We should either find a drive-through somewhere, or I can make us a grilled cheese or pizza rolls.”

She’s dressed and out of the room before I can even answer her. As I get dressed, I realize my appetite is completely gone. That tight, heavy feeling in my chest has spread to my stomach too, and fuck if I know why.

13.

Breakneck Speed

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STATE MEET, BRIDGEPORT, California

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