Page 46 of Forget Me Not

Great.

“You’ve been avoiding me.”

God? Me again. If you’re there, can you please throw me off the nearest cliff?

“No, I haven’t.” I wince internally at my own tone, attempting to cover it up with a smile in Reid’s direction, but it doesn’t go unnoticed. Something dark flashes in his eyes, like he’s pissed that I would dare smile at him.

I forgot. Mr. Morrison doesn’t do polite conversation.

“Don’t give me the fake smile. I can see right through that shit.”

Okay, rude.

“Did you know barnacles will fornicate with no regard as to who it is. In barnacle world, obviously?”

He narrows his eyes, confused, but as if he understands, a smirk forms on his face. I don’t like that smirk. It’s devilish. Too handsome to be normal.

He’s never looked at me like this before. Like he doesn’t hate the very ground I walk on. Instead, he looks at me like I’m a toy—something for him to play with.

My emotions certainly feel like it, but maybe that’s just because my damned libido can’t stop coming up with the nastiest fantasies. All. Centered. Around. Him.

“Little bird, are you jealous?”

“Why would I be jealous?”

Shit.

“I don’t know,” Reid shrugs. “Why would you?”

Because my half-sister should know better. Because she did it with Jack and now, she’s doing it with you, too.

Because she exists.

“Do you need something, or did you just come to spread your black confetti and rain clouds in the town square? Because if so, I’m not helping you.” Just for good measure, “and no, I’m not jealous. I don’t care who or what you do, so long as you don’t hurt any of my friends. And don’t stain my sheets.”

He slides closer. So close, in fact, that his arm brushes against mine. I attempt to step away from him as the heat from his skin bleeds into mine, traveling straight down to the very center of what is causing my discomfort right now, but . . . he steps closer again.

Asshole.

The truth is, I liked his touch. I liked his hands on my skin. Rough and demanding. I liked kissing him. I like the way he growls my name or calls me little bird, even though I have no idea what it means.

He’s everything I should actively run as far away from as possible. He’s also the very thing that fills every one of my fantasies.

“And Sophie?” he taunts, raising a brow to challenge me. “What about her?”

I grit my teeth, forcing the hostility back before it shows all over my face. “You should totally sleep with Sophie. That is . . . if you don’t mind sharing with the rest of the town.”

I know I’m being petty, but what’s life without a little toxicity? Every single person I’ve ever met has been toxic, at least once in their life. That’s what being human is. Doing things and being judged for them later.

No one said it was easy.

And no one said it was fair, either.

“Nova Fischer, I never pegged you to be catty.”

I shrug. Normally, I’m not. Today, I’m just pissed off because Sophie can have what I want while I force myself to stay hidden because it’s easier than facing the guilt back home.

“It’s not catty if it’s the truth.” It totally is.

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