Page 33 of Pretty Monsters

My smile is genuine. "That would be great."

He nods, and when he smiles at me this time, he doesn't look to see if Sin is watching. I might have just found the distraction I need.

12

Wishes and Warnings

Sin

Fuck my luck.I think I aged at least five years when I exited the shower and couldn't find Raven. Lucien has the truck, which meant she had to be on foot. I stormed out of the apartment, only to hear the fuckers from the bar talking to her.

She keeps surprising me, and I don't like it. I expected the girl who spent her entire life with nannies or in boarding schools to be much more biddable. Raven couldn't be more disobedient. I push her, and she shoves me. This dance we're doing is going to end with both of us bloody.

Raven seems at ease with the guys I met yesterday. Ted is still an eager puppy, except now he's panting at her feet. I bet he'd roll over if she asked him to. Shane is pretending not to pay attention to her, he seemed to be the only one of the three with a regular girlfriend, but none of those girls hold a candle to Raven. Her beauty is effortless, and knocks the breath out of you.

I shake my head. It was allowing thoughts like those to run through my head that drove me into the redhead over and over. Ford is getting off on taunting me with her name. If I wanted to have her name I would have fucking asked and he knows it.

He's the player in the group. Football makes him a god in the small world he exists in. The attitude problem is probably because he's playing ball in a community college without a chance in hell of being scouted by the NFL. He's got the build for it, but it seems life screwed him and he's out for his pound of flesh. He won't be getting it from Raven.

When Ford offers to show her around campus he doesn't even look at me to drive his victory home. The little witch weaves a spell, and men fall at her feet. She smiles at him, and agrees to go.

Fuck. That.

"Let's go, princess," I demand.

Her eyes turn to me and she stops smiling. "Get bent."

"Is he bothering you?" Ford leans forward.

Really, he thinks he can protect her from me? "What would you do if I was? Would you try and stop me if I threw her over my shoulder right now and locked her back in her room where she belongs?"

Ford's fist clench next to his thighs. I'd still kick his ass, but it would be different than killing a fat fucker who can't sit up. With Ford there'd be a fight, but he isn't used to taking the kind of hits I can deliver. Shame, I'm longing to crack my knuckles pounding his flesh.

He ignores me, and turns to Raven. "How old are you, Alice?"

"Nineteen, as of today," she mumbles.

Shane is now glaring at me too. It's possible she's lying, after all she told them her name was Alice. Not that she could tell them her name is Raven Blackthorne and she's running from her megalomaniac father. One look at her downcast eyes and I know she's telling the truth.

Ford reaches out and tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. "Pretty girl, you deserve a party. I can invite those girls over, or it can just be us, but we are helping you celebrate."

It's settled, I'm ripping his arms off and beating him with them.

"You don't have to. I just met you guys, and I'm intruding–"

Shane pulls keys out of his pocket and tosses them to Teddy. "You know what to do, man."

He moves toward the street. "Alice, don't go anywhere. I'm going to get what we need to celebrate right."

"She's nineteen, she doesn't need drugs or alcohol," I snap. Ted has to be on something. No one is that happy all the time.

Raven salutes me with the beer I forgot she was holding. I move to take it from her, but she moves it out of my reach. "Go away, captain buzz kill."

"Little bird, I will call your brother if I have to," I warn her.

"She's a fucking adult dude, chill out," Shane snaps.

Lucien chooses this moment to check in and see how Raven and I are getting along.

---