Page 100 of How to Entice a Fiend

“Let’s go get settled. I’m so tired I could probably sleep for a year,” I say.

“I was so good while you were gone. You should give me a gold star and definitely read like three books to me before bed.Like full million-page books. I was super mature and did mature things. You’d have been so proud of me.”

“Oh yeah? Is that true? Was she ‘super mature’?” I ask, which makes Rylee look a bit nervous.

“Well… I’d say I’m pretty mature, and I’ve been known to wallow on the ground and cry a time or two,” Orin says.

“Orin, no! Shush! If you don’t shush, you can’t ever pet Señor Fluffybottom ever again!”

“Oh no… that’d be awful.”

“Sure would be,” she says, proud of her threat as I let her go. She checks that Orin is carrying her cat properly before leaping up into my arms.

“Why do you always want to be carried? You’re seven now. Are you a baby?”

“Yes.”

“I thought you declared that you were mature like thirty seconds ago.”

“Nah. Being mature is for losers.”

Then she latches on to me, and because I’m easily swayed, I carry her into the house. Fucking hell, I love this child.

I squeeze her tightly as the idea of Abel touching her sweeps through my mind. I will kill him. I will kill anyone who ever thinks about touching her.

Mads reaches out and I assume he’s reaching for her, but instead, he ruffles my hair. “We’ll keep her safe.”

I nod, feeling immense relief as I realize that I don’t have to do it alone.

“Might need a whole lot more Soup, but we’ll keep her safe.”

I can’t help but smile.

Rylee gasps. “ENDER MADE A FRIEND.”

“Rylee, you’re not as funny as you think you are.”

“I’m hilarious. Orin, tell Ender how hilarious I am. I’m like… so hilarious.”

“You’re the most hilarious person I’ve ever met,” Finn assures her.

“Thank you.”

She’s beaming, quite proud of herself as I carry her into the house. “Can I pick out my bedroom?”

“Sure,” Orin says. “Go pick your bedroom out.”

I set her down and she rushes off, surveying every bedroom as she goes. It doesn’t take her long before she returns. “I want this one,” she proclaims as she points to the gigantic master bedroom with a king-sized bed, attached bathroom, and walk-in closet.

I shake my head. “You don’t need the biggest bedroom. Let’s give that to Orin since it’s his house.”

“Boo.”

“Oh, it’s fine. You can have the biggest bedroom,” Orin says.

She’s delighted and drags me into the room before leaping and diving right onto the bed, looking like a starfish. “It’s so big. I want a bed this big, En.”

“Looks like you get one tonight because someone is spoiling you,” I tell her.

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