Page 67 of Hell's Gator

“I’ll take a ride,” Shaun offered.

“Sounds good. Just don’t want to be all day,” Lucien said.

“Might find out who it is you’re trying to paint a target on,” Brandt said.

Lucien nodded. “Let’s do it.”

~~~

Hellen sat next to Emmalyn laughing and sharing stories with Analise of all the shenanigans they used to get into as kids.

Analise laughed so hard she had tears running down her face. “You know,” she said, still laughing, “maybe it’s a good thing I was too much of a stay at home kind of girl to go out and get involved in all that! I cannot believe you painted all the desks and the walls in Mrs. Treadway’s homeroom pink senior year! I thought for sure that was the guys trying to hang it on us,” Analise said.

“Nope. It was the one time I broke a rule and I was so sick about it,” Hellen said.

“Yeah, it’s a good thing I didn’t include her when I used bleach to write ‘You all suck!’ in the middle of the football field. She’d have cried,” Emmalyn said, giving Hellen full side-eye.

“I thought that was…” Hellen started, catching herself before she said Marie-Claire’s name.

“It’s fine,” Analise assured her. “That’s all in the past and none of it matters anymore. And I thought the same thing you did. It just made sense,” Analise said.

“Yes! I figured she was telling all of us we sucked,” Hellen said.

“No, I was telling everybody there that they all sucked. I’d have done worse for the way they all looked the other way and let my sister get mistreated by the queen bitch and all her attendants,” Emmalyn said. “But I was afraid it might come back on Analise, so I just left it at that. As it was, they had to spray paint the field green for every game because the bleach killed everything right down to the roots everywhere it hit.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t bleach Havoc’s yard, now that I know it was you,” Analise said.

“Thought about it, but didn’t want to have to face Aunt Valerie if she figured out it was me. Besides, it was Hellen’s yard, too.”

“True,” Analise said.

“It’s almost too hard to believe that we’re all mated now. Adults out on our own, building our lives,” Analise said.

“I honestly never thought you’d take a mate,” Emmalyn said, looking at Hellen.

“Hey, look who’s talking! I never thought you’d accept Barron.”

“I fought it. I did. I admit it. But he’s just so damn…” she hesitated for a moment as she searched for the right words, “perfect,” she finally said, shaking her head. “He’s kind and he’s strong, and he’s patient, and he just laughs at me and let’s me domy high-strung thing whenever it hits me. There’s no one who could love me more, or love me better than Barron does. And despite every effort on my part, I love him just the same way. I adore him,” Emmalyn said.

“I love that,” Hellen said.

“Me, too,” Analise added.

“And tell me about Lucien. I haven’t met him yet,” Analise said.

Hellen rolled her eyes. “I don’t even know where to start,” she admitted, bashfully.

“I do. Looking at that man makes you want to throw him down and climb on top of him.”

“For what?” Analise said.

“Sex!” Emmalyn half-shouted. “He’s pure sexy!”

“Uh, that’s my mate you’re talking about!” Hellen exclaimed.

“Which is why I didn’t attempt it. Well, that and Barron.” She looked at her sister and nodded for emphasis. “He is that damn attractive, though.”

“Oh! Well, now I can’t wait to meet him,” Analise said.

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