Page 68 of Ink & Stardust

I watch him sleep for what has to be hours. Transfixed by the sight of him. Overwhelmed by my feelings for him. Downright terrified of them really. And yet, I stay. Despite every bone in my body screaming for me to leave, I remain, unable to break myself away from the hold Kai Elliot has on me, and quite frankly, I’m not sure I want to. My impending heartbreak be damned.

Chapter Eleven

“Are you seriously missing the beta Halloween party to hand out candy?” Charlotte visibly pouts, crossing her arms in front of her sailor girl costume, which, by the way, looks insane on her. I would never, and I do mean never, look that good inanycostume, let alone one that tight.

“I’m missing the party to hand out candy at Kai’s grandma’s house,” I remind her, still unable to wrap my head around the fact that he actually invited me to his freaking grandma’s house.

“I still can’t believe he’s taking you there. All the years I’ve known him and I think I’ve only met her once, and that was because she came to some school event.” Maisie shakes her head like she too is having a hard time wrapping her head around this recent turn of events.

We’ve beenhanging out, for lack of a better word, or at least, for lack of a more appropriate word, for nearly a month now, and every time I think surely he’s going to end it soon, he does something like invite me to meet the woman who raised him. Like what the hell is happening?

“I think he really likes her,” Char says to Maisie like I’m not even here.

“I’m starting to think maybe you’re right,” Maisie agrees.

There it is again, that little voice of hope that says maybe this could be more, maybewecould be more. I try to push it away, ignore it the way I do every single time Kai even looks at me a certain way, but that damn thing will not be silenced, no matter how hard I try to do just that—silence her.

“Standing right here,” I remind them.

“You’re choosing to hang out with a guy over us, so I’m refusing to acknowledge your presence,” Charlotte quips playfully.

“Yet you said that right to me, therefore acknowledging my presence,” I retort.

“Technically, she has you there.” Maisie laughs as she slides on the last piece of her costume, a black silk robe, completing her boxer costume, which is really just short, tight black shorts, a black sports bra, and a robe, though I do believe she also has boxing gloves too.

It may be simple, but it doesn’t mean she doesn’t look incredibly hot in it. Then again, Maisie, like Charlotte, would look sexy in a trash bag, so it’s really no surprise.

“Well, how do I look?” she asks, giving us a twirl.

“Amazing,” I say.

“Hot as hell,” Char chimes in next.

“Hot enough to make a dumb football player regret treating me like dog shit?” she asks with a smile.

It’s safe to say at this point, her affection for Macallan has quickly turned into something else entirely. Not sure if hate is the right word. Vengeance maybe?

“Hot enough to have him on his knees begging for forgiveness,” Char quickly agrees.

“Good.” Maisie nods, satisfied. “You sure we can’t change your mind? I have a costume you can wear. You know I had to buy two because I couldn’t decide which one I liked better.”

“Even if I wanted to go, which I don’t, you could not pay me to wear yourothercostume.” I give her a pointed look. “This body and leather do not mesh.”

“Are you kidding me? You’d look downright edible in leather,” Charlotte disagrees. “And I know a certain someonewho would most definitely agree with me.” She grins, obviously talking about Kai.

I return her smile, mainly because I know she’s right about one part of that statement. Kai would love it. In fact, he’d probably love it so much that he’d want to take it right off me the second he saw me in it. I’ve never had someone look at me the way he looks at me—especially when I’m naked underneath him—like I’m the most delicious thing he’s ever seen and he can’t wait to devour every inch of me.

My lips tip further.

My God, what this man does to me. What the mere thought of him does to me...

“Damn,” Maisie mutters, giving me a soft shake of her head. “You’ve got it bad.”

“I do not,” I croak.

“Yeah, okay.” She rolls her eyes dramatically. “Look at you, you’re turning so red you’re practically purple and Char didn’t even say his name.”

“I do not know what you’re talking about.” I feign ignorance. “Besides, it’s not like that one is much better.” I point at Charlotte, turning Maisie’s attention to her instead of on me. “Do you see the way she looks at her phone when she’s texting mystery man?”

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