Page 73 of Insatiable

Rolling my eyes, I chew my lip to suppress a laugh while firing back a response.

Me: He didn’t stab her; his friend did, dick. One day, when my dad comes for you and your dad, I’ll stand back and watch.

Jason: Haha! Now fuck off and don’t embarrass yourself. Good luck. You need it with those looks.

Asshole.

I stuff the phone into my pocket, spray on some aftershave and head downstairs. I try not to look at Stacey; she’s sitting on the sofa in a little red dress and fluffy bed socks.

“You’re coming this time, right?”Luciellaasks her.

“Can’t.”

“Why?”

She shrugs. “I just can’t.”

I sit on the one-seaterbetween the two main sofas, one of which is taken up by my sister and Stacey, the other byEwanand my mum.

Pausing the TV, Mum asks, “What are we watching?”

“IsThe Greatest Showmanthere?” I ask.

Luciellagroans. “We’ve watched that, like, a thousand times!”

I huff. “It’s a good movie.”

“What’s it about?” Stacey asks, and every drop of blood in my body turns to ice when she looks directly at me.

“Some money-hungry dude and a musical,” my sister thankfully answers. “He cheats on his wife and still gets a happy ending. Bullshit.”

Mum’s mouth drops open. “Language!”

I snort and shake my head. “It’s a good movie.”

My sister lifts the remote. “I’m in the mood for a horror.”

The lights dim, and the movie starts, but all I keep thinking is that Ishould’vebeaten my sister to answer Stacey.

I would have given a better fucking description. Nevertheless, I’m intrigued enough to stay down here instead of escaping to my room.

The movie has been on for at least an hour, and I haven’t paid any attention to it.

Luciellakeeps screaming and jumping out of her skin;Ewanlooks like he’s ready to fall asleep.

A chill wracks my body, but I can’t be fucked going to get a top. I grab a blanket from the basket near the sofa instead.

“Kade, sweetheart, can you share that with Stacey?” my mum asks. “She looks cold.”

There’s a space beside her,Luciellaon her other side, but I’d rather stick pins in my eyes than take it.

Kissing her is fine. Sharing a blanket sounds like a fucking nightmare. I’m nervous about being in her vicinity as it is. I’ll have an arterial rupture if I get any closer.

I get up from my comfortable seat and sit beside her, offering her half of the blanket.

It only takes my family ten minutes to decide they need to leave the room.Ewanand Mum for food, andLuciellato talk to our dad on the phone.

Leaving me with Stacey. Alone. Sharing a damn blanket.

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