Page 34 of Step Alpha

“Why would you?” She's pissed too. Her eyes flash, glinting in the sunlight through the windshield.

“Because I'm living in the same house as you, that's why. Your mom didn't say anything to you this morning.”

“Yeah, well, she has a lot on her mind,” Rayne says, but I see her lips trembling.

I have to suppress the urge to smash the window beside me.

Her nostrils flare in a distinctly wolf-like manner. “Are you bleeding?”

I don't say anything else. My head is telling me this is none of my business. I shouldn't give a shit anyway. But for some reason, my body is still a riot of rage and firing impulses. Although what they're firing to do, I'm not sure.

When we drive past a grocery store, I point across Rayne. “Pull in there,” I order.

Miraculously, Rayne obeys without giving me back talk.

“Park.”

She does.

I throw open the door and hop out. “Let's go, Runt.”

She drops lightly to her feet and follows me through the parking lot and through the front doors. “Ireallydon’t know what your problem is, Wilde.”

“Okay.” I swing on her. “I’d like to know what your fucking problem is.”

She draws back like I’ve slapped her. Her forehead wrinkles in confusion. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She throws her hands out.

“When are you going to start taking up a little space, Runt?”

Her face flushes a deep red. “Shut up, Wilde. You’re such a–” She bites off the words and whirls to march down a grocery aisle away from me.

I catch her elbow, and she rubberbands back. “Such a what?” I lower my voice because we’re making a scene. And because her anger somehow calms mine. This is what I needed from her. Some kind of righteous indignation.

“Cocksucking bastard.”

I grin.

Probably the wrong reaction, but for some reason, I love when she gets feisty with me.

“There you go.”

Her eyes narrow as she searches my face. “What in the fuck do you want from me?”

“I want you to take up some goddamn space. Stop tiptoeing around the house like you don’t belong. Speak up when it’s your fucking birthday.”

Incredulity scrawls across her expression as she stares back at me. Our gazes are locked in some kind of battle of wills although I’m not sure what we’re even battling about.

Apparently, I win because her big baby blues suddenly swim with tears.

I’ve never hated winning more.

But I keep holding her gaze and just shake my head slowly. “No tears, Runt. This is your day.”

One of her tears escapes the confines of her lower lid and skates down her cheek.

I grip her face in both hands, too roughly.

She gasps and stumbles forward, her body colliding into mine. I mop the tear with my thumb.

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