23. Preston #3
“Skating, in case you have sight issues. Any other questions, Dropbox?”
“It’s Dahlia! And Dropbox isn’t even a D name.”
“That’s right. I’m downgrading you.” I make a motion with my hand. “Now, shoo, DoorDash. Go climb Kane or do whatever you kids do on the regular.”
“He’s meeting me here.”
Double fuck.
I need to grab Miles of Trouble and get the hell out of here before Kane shows up, or he’ll have a lot of questions I don’t have answers to.
Questions I don’t want to hear or think about or fucking process.
But how do I retrieve Miley without my sister yapping about everything or Dracula here noticing Marcus’s impossible-to-miss presence?
“Couldn’t pick another place to practice your niche religion of taming Davenport?” I ask. “Also, where’s Vee? I much prefer your sister to you.”
“Well, thanks for the vote of confidence.” She huffs. “And Vi doesn’t like skating;”
“Well, that sucks.”
Violet, Duchess’s foster sister, and the Sleeping Beauty Jude was stalking, is one of the best things in my life lately. She’s warm and nice, and I feel a sense of familiarity around her.
And, of course, she didn’t date Marcus. Unlike her sister.
I peek behind me, but Marcus and Miley aren’t where I left them.
My skin prickles, static filling my ears as panic floods my throat.
No.
Miley…no.
I only looked away for a second, she couldn’t have possibly been taken away.
What if she were? What if someone hurts her, and it’s my fucked-up story all over again? What if—
“Pressie!” A small body slams into my leg, and she wraps her tiny fingers around my knee. “You gotta see my new moves.”
Relief rushes through my obstructed throat, and I think Marcus sees whatever spooked expression I’m wearing as he stands in front of me, his inquisitive gaze watching me closely.
But then he swiftly stares to his right and smiles. “Hi, Dahlia.”
Her brow furrows. “And what are you doing here?”
“Skating.” He looks around. “Isn’t that what this is for?”
“Yeah, but you wouldn’t normally come to a place like this.”
“I do now,” he says, stealing a glance at me, and I swallow thickly.
“You’re so pretty!” Miley says. “Are you Pressie’s friend?”
“Don’t downgrade me, Mimi, I’m not Darcy’s friend,” I mutter.
“It’s Dahlia.” She glares at me, and Marcus suppresses a smile. The prick is enjoying this a bit too much.
Dana grins as she lowers herself to Miley’s eye level. “Thank you. You’re so pretty yourself. I love the wings.”
“I’m a princess!” She skates toward her and twirls. “My name is Miley.”
“Nice to meet you, Miley. I’m Dahlia.”
“Like the flowers?”
“That’s right.”
“Leave,” I mouth as Marcus continues staring at me during the entire conversation, his cryptic eyes drilling holes into my body.
As if…he can read me.
Bullshit. No one can. Not even my brain or Dr. Duret, who’s been with me almost my whole life, can do that.
“Are you here on your own, Dahlia?” he asks her as she stands up.
“No, I’m meeting Kane.”
“And here I thought we could ignite the old spark.” He grabs his chest, feigning being stabbed in the heart.
Is this motherfucking piece of shit tired of living?
I must be shooting lasers from my eyes, because Delta swallows thickly and even skates back a little.
Good. At least someone around here is scared of me.
She clears her throat. “What on earth are you talking about? There was no spark.”
“No?” He taps his forefinger against his chin. “Pretty sure we had lots of fun.”
“We only went out for, like, two weeks.”
“Two weeks is enough,” he says so casually, and I’m about to ram my fist into his face.
How dare he talk like that about his goddamn ex in front of me?
Destiny’s frown deepens more by the second. “Enough for what?”
“Enough to erase someone.” I plaster on a threatening smile. “Actually, two days would do.”
Marcus’s lips pull in that cruel smirk. “You’d erase me?”
“I’d fucking bury you alive.”
“Will you now?”
“Hey,” Danika says in a placating tone, then whispers, “there’s a kid here. Can you guys save this testosterone battle till later?”
“There’s no later, though, is there?” Marcus ruffles Miley’s hair. “See you around, princess.”
She lights up. “See you! I’ll teach you lots of stuff next time.”
He smiles once more at her, then spins around and leaves.
His shoulders look broader than usual as he skates away, mixing with the other skaters. He doesn’t look back, not even once.
And I don’t know why I keep staring, expecting he will.
Hoping he will.
“Well, that was weird,” Daria says, but I’m barely hearing her because I’m focused on Marcus.
His large body disappears in the crowd way too soon.
What the hell have I said now?
Threatened him, the voice in my head whispers.
But I do that all the time. The fuck? Since when did he become such a snowflake?
“Hey, Pressie.” Miley pulls on my jeans.
“Yeah?” I look down at her, still distracted.
“Can I marry him?”
“Hell no,” I growl as Demi bursts out laughing.
Yeah, laugh away. My life is a joke, apparently.
The guy I can’t seem to stay away from is giving me mixed signals, and my seven-year-old sister apparently wants to marry the motherfucker.
Kill me.