Page 151 of Dark Love

The rest of the men start moving towards the front gate.

Before she can leave to doubtlessly get into trouble based upon the two glaring men, I turn to Hope. “Thank you for coming to save me.”

She gives me a big hug. “Any time.”

“Don’t do it again.”

“Huh?”

“Leave the guns and midnight escapades to the big men with guns.” If she was my daughter, I’d be having heart palpitations mixed in with pride right about now.

“You know that’s sexist, right?”

I shrug. “Don’t care.”

“Let’s go, Hope,” Max calls from the gate.

“See you later, Prue.” Hope waves at me while glaring at Vex.

“Inside,” Vex bites out.

Uh oh.

I’m In Trouble

Dahlia

Vex is a really good name for the man in front of me right now. He looks mad enough to chew nails. Maybe I should have gone home with Hope. The worst that will happen to her is getting grounded or losing her phone. I’d gladly give up my phone rather than walk inside with the grumpy man in front of me.

“Dahlia, now isn’t the time to drag your feet.”

I’m not dragging my feet. They’re stuck to the ground. Is it too late to chase Hope down? Procrastination won’t make this any easier. I trudge inside and head right to the kitchen. If we’re going to ‘chat’, I’m going to need some hot cocoa.

“Say it again.” Vex stops at the doorway and leans against it.

“Huh?”

“Say it again.”

He means—Oh… There’s no way I’m saying it again until he says it back. It was bad enough saying it the first time in front of all those people. “No.”

“Dahl.”

“Don’t glare at me like that. I’m not saying it again.”

“I’ve had a long day, and I’m holding onto my patience with a frayed thread.”

“And whose fault is that?” Maybe a little of mine, but we’ll ignore those pesky details. “We had beautiful plans. Plans that involved cuddling all day in bed while reading books and eating junk food…”

Vex raises an eyebrow.

“…or semi junk food mixed with lots and lots of vegetables and protein.”

His lips tip up slightly.

“But then you had to disappear mysteriously to do super-secret, slightly dangerous things all day. And after I cleaned the house a half-dozen times, I had to do something.”

“You had to do something.” His voice gets that scary low tone.

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