Page 63 of Backfire
The difference between them was slight—they were both part of the evergreen family—but pine had a deeper, more vibrant forest color. How I knew that, I had no idea. I must’ve learned it in school or something. Probably around Christmas time. They were the chosen decoration for that season.
My eyes trickled over the landscape as I tried to imagine what it would look like covered in snow. I bet it would be beautiful. Like one of those holiday movies up in the mountains that Stacy liked to watch. There was even a lake next to a little clearing.
Hold on…
I braced my palms on the bench under the window and leaned in while squinting my eyes.
That clearing looked familiar, but it was too far away to be sure. Still, I swear I’d seen that stone slab before. Then again, there were all kinds of rocks around here.
Oh well.
I sighed and pulled a royal purple tank top over my head. The color was my favorite. There was something about the rich, deep hue that I liked. The cartoon girl decorating the front, I did not.
She was all big eyes and rosy cheeks with pigtails in her hair in her blond hair. It felt almost mocking the way she smiled back at me.
“What the hell do you have to be so happy about?”
Stupid cartoon girl with her happy outlook on life. What did she know?
Know what would make me happy? Some panties. And maybe a touch of poison that I could slip in certain someone’s food. But I’d settle for the underwear. All I had in that regard were a pair of black boxers I found stuffed in the bottom of one of my boxes. Yet another joke from an asshole foster sibling.
Isla Holmes wasn’t just an asshole, though. She was a spiteful little bitch who wasn’t happy when a boy she liked paid attention to someone else. It wasn’t my fault the teacher decided to designate James as my lab partner. But she didn’t see it that way.
Hence the boxers, because I apparently wasn’t feminine enough. In her defense, I didn’t have much in the way of curves at the time.
Thankfully, my hips filled out a year later. The boobs, I was still waiting for. I kind of missed that hateful little witch. There’s a thought I never thought I’d have. But at least with Isla, I knew what to expect.
Devlin, however…
I slipped out of my room and gave the door down the hall a dirty look.
Did Devlin get off on confusing people, because I have never had anyone make my head swim as much as he did. How could someone be so hot yet cold at the same time? And I didn’t mean hot as in looks—which he totally was. It was deeper than that.
I could feel desire coming off him when he looked at me. Mind you, I could also feel rage, hate, anger, and death. Clearly, I was the wrong person to try to untangle that mystery. I could be the one to start the mystery of how he died, though.
No, Syd.
Taking a deep breath, I rolled my tongue and let the barbell clacking off my teeth calm my tensing fists. I couldn’t let myself stoop to his level. Devlin Nathaniel Adair could hate me if he wanted, but I was better than that.
I paused mid-stride and cocked a brow.
I forgot I knew his middle name, and no one liked that information getting out. I’d die before telling anyone mine.
No, I shook my head. That would be a waste of my time and effort. None of which he deserved. Besides, who was I going to tell? One of his brothers? Pretty sure family was already privy to that knowledge.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
My heart leapt out of my chest as I screeched. “Son of a bitch! Why does everyone in this house have to scare people?”
Seriously. I was getting so tired of this crap. Mind you, if I’d been paying more attention, I might’ve noticed Devlin throwing his bedroom door open.
Devlin tipped a brow, tempting me to smack that cold expression off his face.
Instead, I sliced a finger through the air and hissed, “A little notice before entering a room would be nice.”
Ring a bell, clap, something to announce an arrival.
“I’m already in the room.”
