Page 83 of Burning Daylight
“Ah,” he says, nodding like my non-answer gave him everything he needed to know. “Is it young love?”
Rosalie lets out a sardonic laugh. “Please, Juliette wouldn’t know love if it hit her upside the head. She’d have to let people get close to her for that to happen, and she’s always been a frigid bitch.”
My gaze snaps to her, wondering how she knows Juliette and simultaneously wanting to throttle her for calling her a bitch. The intense reaction catches me off guard, because what the hell is my problem?
When I look back to Merrick, he’s grinning at me like he can read my mind.
I shift uncomfortably.
He straightens, spinning around with his arms out at his sides like they’re wings. “If she’s the girl you want, then we’ll take Cupid’s wings and we’ll fly high. Rosebrook Falls is the place love goes to die, after all. Might as well tempt fate while you can.”
A short laugh escapes me, and I shake my head. “What the fuck are you even talking about?”
Benjamin wraps his arms around the waist of Rosalie, smirking at his friend. “Merrick’s always talking out of his ass; don’t listen to anything he says.”
Merrick stops spinning and points at him. “Youshould show me some respect, Benny. If it weren’t for me, we wouldn’t have even had an audience with the Calloways just now.”
Rosalie huffs. “Uh, hello? I’mrighthere. It was my invitation.”
Benjamin looks at her. “You didn’t get usin, though, so your point’s a little moot.”
Rosalie peers up at him. “None of you said you wanted to sneakintothe party. You should have just asked me how.”
“Okay, how?” Benjamin asks.
“There’s a spot on the east side of the gate that has a small hole under the brush. If you use it and keep to the perimeter of the property, it’s a blind spot in their security, and it leads straight to Juliette’s balcony.”
I blow out a cloud of smoke. “How do you know that?”
She looks at me, her face brightening as she steps away from Benjamin’s hold. “My brother used to brag about how they’d sneak out, him and Lance. They’d use Juliette’s balcony because it faces the pool and has the most blind spots in their security.”
“And who’s your brother?” I ask.
She scowls. “Tyler. The one who brought out my uncle.”
I blink at her.
“Tyler is Juliette’s cousin.Rosalieis Juliette’s cousin.” Benjamin fills in the blanks.
My brows shoot up. “But you’re hanging out with us?”
Her gaze shoots to the ground, and she shrugs. “I’ve picked my side.”
Benjamin turns to her with an incredulous look. “You could have told us how to sneak in a little earlier, you know?”
“Like I said, you didn’t ask.”
I glance back at the mansion, a new kind of fire sparking inside of me. The need to explain my actions to Juliette snuffs out anything else that I was feeling. I don’t know why it bothers me so much to think of her hating me or thinking I played her on purpose, but it does, and despite me repeating to myself like a mantra that I don’t care about her…I do.
She’s suddenly all I can think about.
I focus back on my group as Merrick walks around to the driver’s side of the car and slips in.
“You coming?” he asks, leaning toward the rolled-down passenger window.
I shake my head, my hands in my pockets. “It’s a nice night. I think I’ll walk around for a bit.”
Merrick’s eyes flash, like he knows what I’m about to do, but he nods and then jerks his head at Rosalie and Benjamin, who slide into the car.
