Page 56 of Bad Enough

“Get the fuck out of here, asshole,” TB groused.

Nemo looked at Sylvan with a sad little boy face. “See what I mean? Really only suitable to be a junkyard dog.” He took hold of her hand. “If you need anything that Frankenstein can’t supply”—he winked lasciviously—“you just let me know. I’ll be happy to oblige.” He gave a swift kiss to the knuckles of her hand he was holding.

“Fuck off,” TB growled.

Sylvan tried not to encourage him, but she felt her smile get even bigger. He was good for her ego, she’d give him that. “Thanks, Nemo. I’ll keep that in consideration.”

Nemo let go of her hand, clasping his to his chest where his heart would be. With an exaggerated sigh, he turned and clattered down the stairs, singing “As Time Goes By,” the voice getting fainter with each step he took back downstairs.

“I’m pretty sure his mother dropped him on his head every day for the first ten years of his life. And I warn you now, never, and I mean never, engage in a game of ‘Would You Rather?’ with him. The man is a menace.”

“He sounds fun.”

“He’s a pain in my ass.”

“Well, you don’t like to have fun, so he would be.”

With that, she swept down the stairs and closed the door behind her after entering her room.

“I always had fun with you,” he whispered to the empty room.

20

JUNE 15TH

TB

Four hours later, the cameras had been installed and tested. For now, TB would be in charge of arming, disarming, and maintaining. In a few days, after things had calmed down a little and Flame was less fragile, he’d teach her the system. He wasn’t leaving her here alone, so technically, he didn’t need to, but he wanted her to have that element of control if it made her feel better.

Flame reappeared as everyone was leaving. Nemo was last out the door since he’d be on night watch. He gave TB several rapid bro punches to the shoulder, flashing him a teasing look, suggesting all kinds of high school insults he was getting ready to say.

TB simply swatted him away like he was a pesky fly.

With his best Hollywood smile on his face, Nemo sauntered over to Sylvan at the foot of the stairs. Hand held out to her, she slipped her palm to lay against his. Walking backward, he pulled her with him to the front door. Smoothly, he swept her up against the door jamb as he stood in the open doorway. His outside arm was straight up along the doorjamb above her head, his best book boyfriend lean-in going on, her face turned down and toward TB with Nemo’s lips inches from her ear. Making sure TB had a clear look at his actions, Nemo took one of the stray curls hanging loose from her braid and wound it around his finger, bringing it up to his nose to sniff. “Mmm. Roses. Very nice.”

There was a low rumble in the room.

What the hell is that noise? Was that me?

Nemo brought the curl wound around his finger to his cheek and stroked it against his skin. “Nice and silky.”

TB heard the rumble again, a little louder this time.

So, what did the fuckknuckle do? Nemo took a half step closer to her so there was no air visible between them.

A whispered invective beneath his breath this time.

Suddenly, he was thrown for a curve when Flame slid her hands behind her back, one on top of the other against the door jamb. She turned her head to face Nemo, opened her eyes wide, and bit her lower lip.

She looked swept away by Nemo’s attention. Innocent and vulnerable. Mesmerized.

Nemo put his forehead to hers. It would take next to no effort for the asshole to kiss her.

He saw Nemo’s cheek twitch for a moment, and he leaned in so that his lips looked like they were actually against the shell of her ear. He whispered something to her that caused her to blush, then smile and nod.

This time, Nemo whispered loud enough for TB to hear him. “Remember, if something goes wrong, do what he tells you when he tells you to do it. No joke, Rapunzel.”

“I promise.”

---