Page 25 of The Villain

“Promise,” I assure them both. Shade’s eyes narrow on me, our stare still locked.

“Shade, would you let South take care of you for the party?” Tera asks hopefully. “She won’t let them get to you.”

“I’ll go,” he says without enthusiasm and I glare. He could fake being happy about it. It wouldn’t kill him.

“Yay!” Tera squeals in excitement. She sounds like she’s dancing around in celebration.

Shade reaches to hang up and I let him go. The hand hold session is over. I can still feel the heat of his palm. I watch goosebumps flow up my arm from the lingering sensation. That’s new.

“Don’t hang up,” Tera cries suddenly and Shade’s finger pauses just shy of the button.

She clears her throat and her tone drops into what she thinks is a threatening tone. “Do you have anything to confess, Southie?”

My brows furrow as I think about it. I don’t think I do but she sounds positive that I did something. It doesn’t help that Shade suddenly has emotion as he leans back in his chair to cross his arms. It’s all smug self-assurance. And distracting.

My silence isn’t helping my cause. She lets out a big sigh as if she’s disappointed in me.

“How far back are we going with this?” I ask thoughtfully.

Shade’s eyebrows go up and he hides his grin behind his cup as he drinks.

“Destruction of property?”

I blink as I stare at him and then it comes to me like a lightbulb went off in my brain.

“They got their warm welcome?” I can feel my feral smile twist my lips as I sit back.

“Oh yeah,” Tera maniacally giggles and then clears her throat to get serious. “You didn’t have permission, South. You know the rules. I know you did it for Shade, but that was a little much for them to owe.”

Personally, I thought it wasn’t enough. I can’t get the image of him screaming out of my head.

Tera isn’t like that, though. Based on Shade’s lack of reaction, he’s the same. One more piece of proof that they are basically twins.

Shit. I was hoping he’d get a good laugh out of it to get me by when I-

“You owe, Southie,” Tera says in a gleeful tone.

I knew I would. I just expected a reward to endure it.

“What did you do for me?” Shade asks. He sounds curious and I frown at him. He doesn’t know?

“Does no one check the property?” I ask Tera in confusion. A few of Shade’s things are still there. I thought he might want to stop by to get them otherwise the damage would have been much worse. I made sure they stayed untouched. I could tell they were his because it all smelled like his cologne. I had vague hints of it before and that was a real hit.

“No. They rely on the cameras, which are mysteriously not working. They haven’t kept track of anything because they’re dumb.” She sounds so smug about it. At least she’s getting something out of this.

“What did you do?” He leans forward with narrowed eyes.

I stay quiet. I’m pouting because he didn’t like my game and I feel like I’ve backtracked to just seeing him for the first time. But Tera is happy to tell him.

“All of their personal belongings are trashed,” she pauses to giggle. “All of their clothes are a pile of ash in the driveway. Anything personal has been smashed beyond repair. Thank you for leaving the prank stuff alone though. I worked hard on it.”

His eyes flick from the phone to meet mine. He still isn’t laughing. If he’s expecting me to feel remorse over it, he’s going to be disappointed. I could have taken so much more from them. They got off light.

“Andi is really upset,” Tera’s voice becomes hesitant.

“I’ll call her,” Shade’s face has gone back to being a blank mask. I guess his willingness for small talk is at an end.

I somehow thought it would be different with him. That he’d magically get me like Tera does. I was wrong.

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