Page 63 of The Sadist and the Brat

“That’s sweet,” Rebecca decided.

“It is,” Olivia agreed. “Kody comes off as kind of a hard ass, but they’re kind of a marshmallow.”

“I don’t know about marshmallow,” Sadie said. “You’ve seen them do a needle scene, right?”

“Right.” Rebecca gave a delicate shudder. “Nick wants to learn, but I’m not so sure I’m ready to be a human pincushion.”

“It’s fun,” Sam said, and as the conversation shifted to the pros and cons of needle play—pros, endorphins! Cons, blood—Sadie tried not to think about how much she wanted Jack to call her again. Or what she would do if he did.

* * * *

“Like a what?”

Jack took his shot, waiting until the four ball had landed with a satisfying clatter in the side pocket before he answered. “A dying goldfish.”

Nick was laughing so hard he had to lean on the pool table for support. Cade wore a look of wide-eyed fascination, and James was grinning into his beer.

“Excuse me.” Cade lifted a hand. “She said that mid-scene?”

“After,” Jack clarified and circled the table to find his next shot.

“Mid-scene she pretended to fall asleep,” James told them, and sent Nick off into gales of laughter again. “Snoring like a congested moose.”

Jack crouched to eye the five ball. It was partially shielded by the seven, but maybe a bank shot would work. “She wasn’t snoring for long.”

“I bet,” Cade muttered, but he was smiling. “I’m actually sorry I missed that.”

“Me, too,” Nick wheezed.

“It was all I could do to keep from laughing,” Jack admitted, and rose to take his shot.

He sank the five, but he fouled by hitting the seven ball first. Taking it philosophically, he handed the cue to Nick. “Your turn.”

Nick frowned at the table. “What am I supposed to do with this mess?”

Twisting the cap off a beer, Jack settled into a chair. “Your meager best.”

“Bite me,” Nick muttered and bent to examine the setup.

“So, is this going to be a regular thing?” Cade sank into the chair next to Jack, a soda in his hand. “You and Sadie?”

“Yeah, right,” Nick scoffed and, repositioning the cue ball to his advantage, lined up his shot. “Six, side pocket.”

Jack watched him sink the ball with amusement. “You don’t think Sadie will play with me again?”

“You had to win a bet to get her to do it the first time,” Nick reminded him. “I’m still surprised she went through with it.”

“Maybe my sparkling wit and sunshine personality won her over.”

“No, that’s not it. Seven, far corner.”

“Olivia said Sadie told her she’s been bored lately,” Cade put in.

“That could be it,” Nick allowed and shot his cue forward.

Jack cocked an eyebrow as balls clattered. “Are you saying she only played with me because she had nothing better to do?”

“Or pity,” Nick offered. “That’s another possibility. Nine off the eight, near corner.”

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