Toxic Masculinity 101 #2
“If I’m a whore, what does that make you?” I questioned, voice calm but stare white-hot. “What gives you the right to tell me what I can and can’t do? And what gives you a right to call me a whore?”
“V—”
“I’d be really careful what you say to me from now on,” I hissed, hands fisted and face on fire. “You’d be lucky to call me a friend after this.” Shutting my eyes, I battled the burning sensation in my throat. “Go cool off.”
Nigel’s eyes flicked over to Phillip before meeting mine again. “I’ll go. But…” His shoulders slackened, and the way he slouched spoke of complete defeat. “I’m so sorry. You didn’t deserve any of that.”
Phillip leaned in closer to me, his hand touching my lower back. “We should go before anyone else shows up.”
I nodded, eyes directed at Nigel. “I expect you to be there tonight. We still have a job to do. If I can be big enough to put what happened here aside, the least you could do is show up.”
Nigel nodded slightly and walked off through the grass, getting as far from us as possible. Finally, I noticed the crowd which had developed over the course of our exchange and sighed, ready to be the subject of gossip once more.
Graduation couldn’t come quickly enough.
“Are you okay?” Phillip asked as we got to the car.
My nose burned, the hot sensation of anger melting to deep, impenetrable sadness. “Let’s just go home.”
Out at another location to scout for the Shadow Goblin hideout, it was everyone together for the first time. The two Hunters kept to their side and the Shifters to theirs. Both didn’t seem eager to make conversation, until Tiff all but frolicked across and introduced herself to Sloan and Kris.
“You guys look just how I thought you would,” she went on, winking at me. “Bet you get all the girls.” The she-wolf directed her comment at Sloan, whose smile brightened the more she talked.
Brushing back dark hair, Sloan’s ice-blue eyes glittered prettily at her. “I do okay.”
Tiff swooned and walked back to her group, hands on her cheeks. “Bet he does. Bet. He. Does.”
I couldn’t exactly blame her for the lovesick look on her face.
I’d been seduced by Sloan’s good looks just as easily.
The Brit had one of the fiercest smolders I’d ever seen.
He was the embodiment of everything gorgeous, beautiful, and glorious.
Much like a colorful painting. And he didn’t oversell it like other guys did.
He acted like it wasn’t a big deal he was so damn sexy.
But seriously, thank god for Tiff.
Her antics instantly relieved the tension, and the good humor returned by the time she leaned up against Topher, head resting on his arm cutely. “Do you think I’ve got a chance?”
Topher shrugged, clearly not interested. “Who really knows.”
“You’re a guy. You know things,” Tiff complained, eyeing Mia who stood at the back of the group with Claude. “Mia, do you think I’ve got a chance?”
Our eyes connected, Mia’s and mine, then she looked at Tiff. “Go for it.”
“See, even Mia gets it.”
Claude rested an arm on Tiff’s shoulder, curious gaze sweeping down Sloan’s body like he was on display. “I get the appeal, but isn’t he a little too pretty? And what’s with all the black?”
The dude is right there and can hear you.
I laughed to myself when I thought Sloan just stood there, not at all bothered he was the center of a very peculiar back-and-forth.
Mia walked closer, leaving Nigel by himself in the back. “You’re wearing pants with holes in the ass because they’re so old and a Beavis and Butt-Head shirt, Claude. Don’t really think you should be critiquing someone else’s style right now.”
I was pretty amazed Mia could talk and that she was so sassy.
She still looked like she’d put a curse on you, but in a way that wasn’t at all weird.
Surprisingly, her voice was deep and raspy.
It gave me chills. It was sultry and sensual, and I didn’t expect it.
I mean, I should’ve expected it with the way she dressed, but it still caught me off guard.
Which was made clear by my incredibly slack jaw and wide gaze.
Claude harrumphed, pretending to be insulted. “This is one of my favorite shirts. Don’t insult Beavis or Butt-Head.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Mia responded dryly.
“We’ll search in pairs, aside from a group of three. I imagine you’ll want to take point with yours?” Phillip asked of Nigel, all business. But his tone was clipped, and by Sloan and Kris’s sideways look, they’d also picked up on it.
Nigel grunted his answer, arms crossed over and legs spread wide. “Got it.”
Then the group was gone, off to find a place to shift. Only Hunters remained, and it was quiet for a few seconds before Kris spoke.
“What’s going on between you and the Shifter, and why do I get the feeling you broke the only rule you made for yourself?” she asked, purple hair drawn up into a knot atop her head.
Phillip’s jaw tensed, and he quickly carded through dark locks. “I forgot how damn perceptive you are.”
“How could you forget? It saved your ass plenty of times,” she teased.
Sloan looked off to his left and then back over to where I stood. “Just don’t get distracted and it’ll be fine.”
“You would say that,” Kris remarked, scoffing. “But this is a big deal. It’s not something we should brush off. I’m not letting the asshole live this one down.”
I glanced at the older Hunter, a little confused by the conversation. “A big deal?”
Kris snickered when Phillip glared hotly at her, not the least put off.
“Not going to lie, sort of hilarious you went and broke it with Rose’s granddaughter.
But hey, I’m just glad you’re starting to act a little less like a pompous asshole.
” Her eyes flicked over to me, the tight clothes she wore shifting against her stunning curves. “It’s refreshing.”
“Go on,” Phillip cut in angrily, shooing her away with a hand. “Ring me if you sense anything.”
Sloan and Kris disappeared into the forest, covering distance with their speed in an instant. I lost them a couple minutes later and panned the empty space around us, suddenly alone with the man I thought about all day long.
“Earlier…” Phillip started, but I shook my head and adjusted the sword strapped to my back.
I walked on ahead, rolling my head and shoulders, and centered my thoughts. “This isn’t the place. I want to do what we came here to do. The longer it takes us to find this damn cave, the more people who are likely to die.”
“Fair enough,” Phillip agreed.
“So, what are we doing? Waiting until one of those bastards shows up to follow them?”
The Hunter beside me clearly wasn’t ready for my sarcastic question and laughed loudly. “In a way, yes. If we find one, we can trace its signature back to where it came from.”
“Sounds easy enough,” I joked, slowly marching ahead. “Let’s just go ahead and leave an entire evening up to chance. That’s what we powerful Hunters do.”