Page 68 of Tricky Girls

As if in answer, the girl comes down the stairs, seemingly in nothing but one of my long-sleeved tops. Curling up tighter onthe chair, I pull my hood over my eyes. What I can’t see can’t hurt me

‘Hey, ladies,’ she calls, far too sunnily for my liking.

‘Hey, Skylar,’ Haz and Elly intone together.

I hear Tilda offer her a mug and glare down at my own tea.

Like she has any right.

That girl needs to go.

She and Skylar both.

Light fills my vision as my hood’s suddenly pulled down. ‘Yeah, we don’t have to do the whole I’ll-call-you-thing,’ Skylar all but hisses at me, ‘but you can at least say good morning.’

‘Good morning, Skylar. Now please leave my house.’

She huffs out a breath. ‘Fucker.’

Squeezing in next to Haz, she spends some time glowering before those speculative eyes drift to Tilda.

Shit.

I tense, sensing what’s about to go down before she’s even opened her gob.

‘Hey,’ she says loudly, drawing Tilda’s attention. ‘You’re the one she was out stalking the other night.’

Tilda turns her head to me, then back to Skylar. ‘Huh?’

Skylar looks at me, eyes brimming with mischief.

So fucking shrewd this girl. I forget she has a brain behind that sex kitten act of hers.

‘Skylar, leave it,’ I say quietly.

‘I don’t want to.’ She runs her tongue over the rim of her mug. ‘I’m interested in what the deal is.’ She takes stock of Tilda lying half over Haz and Elly. ‘Are you fucking all of them?’

‘I’m fucking none of them,’ Tilda says with a frown.

‘Well, this one wants to fuck you.’ She nods over to me. ‘That’s for sure.’

That’s got Elly studying me with an inquisitive look, the last thing I bloody need.

‘Skylar, put the tea down and fuck off.’

‘Gladly.’ Banging the mug on the floor, she pushes it away, sending tea everywhere. ‘Gonna fucking hurl if I don’t eat soon and you’re not about to make me anything, are you? And for the record’—she turns back at the foot of the stairs—‘it’s not my fault you can’t fucking come!’

I close my eyes. ‘Maybe it is. Maybe you just don’t do it for me.’

Skylar scoffs. ‘Think I do. Otherwise you wouldn’t keep coming back for more. I’m a good fucking time and you know it.’

‘Sometimes I’d rather scavenge than hunt. You’re just easy.’

‘Yeah, you’re a fucking vulture alright. Go to therapy, babes, and stop eating the carrion. Fucking doesn’t cure all. Believe me, I’ve tried it.’

I groan, gathering my hair into fists.‘Fuuuck,just get out of my house!’

Even through two floors, I hear her stomping around, banging doors as she gathers up her shit.

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