Page 97 of Pin-up Girl

“What the hell is this?” She held up the swimsuit I bought for her. We couldn’t go to a tropical island without swimsuits. The one she had covered way too much skin. It was essentially a tankini. Why Elise, of all fucking people, bought a tankini, I’d never know.

“Elise.” I smirked. “You need something sexy for that gorgeous body of yours. Your current suit is something a librarian would wear in winter.”

“Yeah, uh huh. Sure. But this? Let me see you wear floss up your ass and see how sexy you feel.” A skimpy two-piece swim suit dangled from her fingers. To be fair, it did resemble a pile of black string.

“You wear that with us, and if you don’t feel sexy, you can buy me a man thong. We’ll suffer together.” I crowded her until she dropped the suit and wrapped her arms around my neck.

I licked the seam of her mouth until she opened. We kissed forever, a beautiful tangling of tongues. Fire shot through my groin, giving me a semi. As much as I hated to stop the kiss, I had to.

We still had a million and one things to do before we left.

“Thank you for giving me a chance.” I kissed the end of her nose.

“Thank you for showing me there was more to you than a manwhore with a penchant for blackmail.”

“Haha. Yuck it up.” I smacked her ass. She squealed.

Now that we were out of Infinity, life with the people I loved was amazing.

Milo

Five days later

Ellie was takinga nap in the beach house, and the ocean was calling my name. Some-fucking-how, Emmett convinced Elise to put on that fucking string bikini that enhanced every curve.

Not that I was complaining.

Elise was already lying on a huge beach towel right by the water. The sun was warm on our skin, and the salty ocean air was refreshing in the way it always was to people who lived inland.

Jules and Emmett were throwing a football a little ways down the beach. Fantastic. I’d have Pin-up all to myself for a few minutes.

Soft snores escaped her slightly open mouth. Ridiculously large sunglasses covered half of her face, but it worked on her. Her golden hair spread out around her head like a halo. Maybe we should have called her angel.

Nah. Her ability to create trouble was too strong. She would always be our Pin-up.

I knelt by her head, about to wake her with a kiss when her tattoo caught my eye.

I knew it saidI’m finebecause Emmett had shared with us the one night she spent away from us.

But looking at it from this angle, it said something else. Something that chilled the blood running through my veins.

Reaching out a finger, I traced the letters.

S-A-V-E M-E.

Save Me, in elaborate Old English script. I moved to the foot of the towel and reexamined it.

I’m Fine.

Back by her head, it was extremely clear now that I knew what I was looking for. What were they called? Ambigrams?

“Elise?” I traced her collarbone.

She stirred but didn’t wake.

“Elise?” I said a little louder.

“What?” She tried to swat my hand away, but I grabbed it.

---