Page 24 of The Villain

“I took some.”

“Are you taking it out on Shade?” She sounds sad about it. If he was anyone else, I would be. That woman would be a good outlet.

“No.” I admit and force myself to let it go.

“Oh good.” She giggles with happiness and I smile. It sounds sweet and innocent but it’s the same light tinkling she has when she’s causing chaos too. She calls it her villain laugh.

Shade stares at my lips and I raise a brow.

“I’m actually glad you called Shade. I wanted to tell you both together but I didn’t want to interrupt.” She sounds like this is a bad news situation.

I lean forward to pay attention and so does Shade. I can smell his cologne again. I didn’t realize how much I missed it.

“The A-holes are back.”

My upper lip starts to curl up with anger. I knew they were, with all the cop shit going on. If she’s warning Shade, that means they’re going to start popping up everywhere like limp dick shaped weeds.

“The A-holes?” Shade asks with a chuckle. Even his lightening mood doesn’t derail my anger.

“Shade,” she begins softly and then trails off.

His expression drops as he realizes who she’s talking about. It reminds me of that stillness he had before he started screaming in a deserted parking lot with my banned ass stuck watching him. That look does not belong on his face. And I’m not stuck watching anymore.

“I’m on it,” I say in a tone gone so gravelly I can barely understand myself.

I start to stand but Shade’s hand snaps out and grabs my wrist. He shakes his head and I frown at him. I sit back down but I’m tense, trying to read his nonexistent expression. This is a ban, I know it.

“Andi told you?” Shade asks with narrowed eyes. He’s staring at me instead of the phone. His fingers tighten around my wrist. I don’t think he’s aware of it but I don’t mind. If it was Tera I would hold her hand to ease her stress.

They’re kindred spirits. Maybe it would help.

I place my other hand over his and he gives me a confused look. Maybe it doesn’t work on guys. It’s too late now, I’m not taking it back. He’s warm and my palm is tingling from the contact. Allowing myself to touch him is a step in the right direction as long as he follows.

“Yes. I’m so sorry,” Tera’s cringing answer brings my focus back where it belongs for now.

“We’ll get through it,” I try to reassure them both and tighten my fingers around his. The words are a little difficult to believe with how uneven my breaths are. Maybe he won’t notice.

“They’re coming to my birthday party. I couldn’t say no because they’re supposed to be guarding Andi again.” I’ve never heard her sound so defeated. It’s pissing me off. Shade’s expression hasn’t changed either, which makes it worse.

“I wanted you to know I understand if you don’t want to come anymore,” Tera reassures him.

Bullshit. Tera will be sad if he doesn’t. Especially when she knows she could stop it by uninviting Andi. The guilt will be never ending. She’s too damn nice. She’s probably cry/smiling now in anticipation of the letdown.

Fuck that.

“He’s going.”

His eyes meet mine and narrow. I hold his gaze with a raised brow. If he knows Tera like I think he does, he knows what will happen if he doesn’t show.

“You can’t decide that for him,” Tera begins to lecture.

“He’ll decide for him. He’s got this.” I lean forward a little, my eyebrow going higher. He’s tougher than what he’s acting. I know it. You can’t hold a blank expression for as long as he does every day and not have a spine of steel. Sure he broke but they all do at some point. He’s gotten stronger and he needs to show that to them.

He sits back thoughtfully and continues staring.

“And if he doesn’t then I do.” I try to keep my tone calm but the thought of dragging any of those assholes outside to break their kneecaps sounds like a wet dream.

“Promise Southie?”

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