Page 30 of The Villain

“Do you think he was interrogating me?” I ask idly. I don’t mind it. The questions were a little boring but he could spice it up for next time. If there is one. He didn’t tell me to go away so I can do whatever I want. I could follow him again. If I don’t want him to find me, he won’t.

Tera pauses with her fork halfway to her mouth. “I think he was trying to talk to you and doesn’t know how.”

“Why?” If he’s frightened of me it doesn’t show.

“Ask Shade?” She seems helpless to find a good response.

I debate on that. Does the answer really matter? In a way it does and that spells trouble. Mainly for him.

“You should date him.”

I give Max a blank look. He’s advocating for me to kidnap Shade and keep him? I accept. I might get along with Max.

He takes in my resting bitch face and leans back. “Or not?”

“She wants to know what you’re thinking,” Tera says offhand and takes another bite of food. She’s half done with it. Asher sees it too and nods at me as if he’s thanking me.

“I’m thinking that Shade needs to shake things up. If nothing else it will piss the assholes off. They were super jealous of Tera and you weren’t even dating.”

“A jealousy play,” I tilt my head. It might work. I don’t want it to but it could be an in for me to get closer.

The problem is if it does work, will I let the assholes survive long enough to enjoy it. What rankles the worst is the knowledge that if Shade asked me for this I would give it to him. Maybe I could seduce him through it all until he gets addicted to me. It doesn’t seem very likely to happen.

“Or maybe a new beginning,” Tera says with a tiny smile. “Either way you’re my number one pick for him Southie. You’ll never change my mind.”

“I’m psychotic,” I remind her.

“He can certainly dish it out,” Trevor says with a smirk. “Maybe it’s time he received a little.”

“You’re not scared of him?” Max taunts with a raised brow.

I roll my eyes toward him without expression. He leans back as if he wants to run but the realization he might be making himself prey freezes him. Instead he chooses to sit still and get quiet.

Tera clears her throat and regains my attention.

“Stop playing with Max and give me an honest opinion.”

I can’t. My honest opinion breaks several bans and she’ll put me back on no contact. I might just break them all anyway in my pursuit of him. I’m not risking it. If there’s a chance I can spend more time with my statue without alienating Tera I’ll take it. I’m enjoying the pure strangeness he’s bringing into my black and white life. He’s all color.

“You’ll spoil him rotten, I know it. He would have a wonderful time with you,” she gives me a beaming smile.

“I can’t see anyone having a wonderful time with me,” I tell her. I can at least be honest about that. I don’t want to think of him trying to get away from me out of fear.

“You promised you’d take care of him on my birthday, right? What’s the difference between that and really dating?”

“Fucking.”

Max spits out his drink on the table.

“South!” Tera squeals in horror, recoiling from me. “That’s my big brother!”

“Am I the only one who thinks that’s the difference?” I look around the table to check expressions and put Tera’s extra paper towels over the mess.

“Go for it,” Trevor offers with a grin. “Maybe he’ll relax a little.”

Maybe I judged these men too harshly. Things seem to be going well if they’re promoting this.

“Oh my gosh,” Tera says weakly.

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