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“You really don’t know me, Ashbourne.”

She nodded, curls sliding over her shoulder. “You’re right. I don’t. From the moment we met, you were rude.”

“I came on strong.”

“You grabbed me by the hair!”

“You liked it,” I smirked.

She scoffed, but she and I both knew the truth. She liked me from the start. “You’re insane. You couldn’t pay me to go on a real date with you.”

“That’s how low you think of me?”

“Low? No. Unavailable? Yes. I refuse to follow a man who only cares about pussy.”

“Though I loved your pussy earlier, it’s not all I think about.”

She turned in her seat to me. “What do you think about?”

It didn’t take me long to answer. “Alchemy and how it works. I think about work and how much I am a workaholic. This has been the most I’ve been home, especially with people in the house.”

“Boohoo. Pick a girl to fuck and take her home, Kier. You are upset that you are alone in a beautiful house. I would kill to cry in a home that doesn’t have someone dying next door or someone shooting up.” she snapped.

“Fuck… you’re right.” I froze, stiffening. I spent months working close to all the hours I could because I didn’t want to constantly be reminded of how alone I was. Here I am complaining about it when her problems were worst than mine.

She sighed beside me. “I’m glad… you have company, Kier. I didn’t mean to—”

“No, it’s okay. I’m being selfish.”

“No. We both know that even if you wish we were gone, you shouldn’t be feeling lonely.”

I glanced at her, wondering what the change of tone was. “I don’t wish any of you were gone, especially not…” her…

“Me?” She looked up at me with those big brown eyes. “I’m starting to think you like me, Kier.”

“I don’t,” I assured. “Feelings aren’t a thing I feel regularly, Ashbourne.”

“And what about the last girl? Did she get the same rude Kier I got?”

“Yes,” I snapped. “Now shut the fuck up.”

“Well, now I see why she left,” she muttered.

I blinked, not realizing I let my rage get the better of me, again. I hated bringing her up. I hated talking about her. I got soft for her. I changed myself for her, just for us not to be good enough.

I glanced over at Psalm, seeing her leaning against the door. She was probably thinking I was the same way. I wanted her, and it showed in my flirtation, but I promised myself I would never be hurt by anyone, especially not Psalm.

My eyes moved back to the road as I found the directions.

“Can you at least tell me where we are going?” she asked.

“A sex club,” I answered.

She sat up quickly. “A what? For what?”

A sigh escaped me. “Ashbourne.”

“Oh right. Me Kier. Me stupid and me can’t communicate why me going to a sex club,” she teased with a caveman’s voice and then sat back.