Page 137 of Pretty Broken Wings

Raven just glares at me, fingers gripping my wrist as if that would stop me. “I don’t think you will.”

Disbelief and adrenaline fill me. Is she really daring me right now?

Suddenly, there’s a prick in my side, and then Raven arches an eyebrow. “You won’t do anything because you care too much about what Gage thinks. If he found out you forced me, he’d never forgive you.”

I stare into her light eyes, defensive anger raging under my skin. How the hell does she know that? If she can read me that easily, then she’ll also know I won’t touch her against her will because I know what that feels like.

And that’s not something I’m prepared for Raven to know.

Raven smirks, and then the jabbing in my side continues. I glance down, and she jabs one more time before she slips out of my hold.

“What is that?”

Raven waves a small pink needle at me. Only it’s not a needle. It’s a cocktail sword.

“I need your help.” She turns back inside. “You owe me. And you owe Gage.” And with that, she disappears inside.

CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE

I’m gambling that my dare will get Axel to come inside, and I’m praying it doesn’t. What the hell is wrong with me?

Being around Axel is intoxicating in a dangerous way. He’s always one step away from doing something insane, and now that I know he won’t do anything that’ll piss Gage off, I feel safer. Because he loves Gage. Truly, deep down, he loves his brother.

Also, guilt is eating at me, and the living room smells unbearable. You can smell it in the bedrooms now. Cleaners will never find the source, and Gage doesn’t deserve this.

You know who does? Fucking Axel. Infuriating, dickish, hot Axel.

Hot? I hate that I think he’s hot. But of course I do. He’s handsome in exactly the same way his brother is, only Axel has a hint of danger that I find, against all logic, intoxicating. I know he won’t touch me, no matter how much he wants to, andthatmakes heat run through me. Which confirms that I am, in fact, incredibly fucked up. Also, I was just in bed with Gage, and now I’m drooling over his brother? Fuck me.

I grab the spray bottle I’ve filled with cleaning products and start spritzing the couch before I hear the sliding glass door open.

A mix of elation and fear fills me. Axel comes inside and stands silently behind me. The skin on the back of my neck tingles, but I just say in a bored tone. “I need the curtain rod.”

“Where’s Gage?”

“Sleeping.” At least, I think he is. I didn’t check. I wanted to. Wanted to see how he’s doing. Find something to make fun of him for.

I can feel the blood tingling through my thighs. That monster is back chasing me. This can only end one way for me: heartbreak. My job is up soon, and even if he likes me, Gage will eventually grow tired of me. I’ll become just another hole to use when he feels like it.

I just want to scream at the monster to shut up. To shut the fuck up and let me live in peace.

Axel doesn’t move.

“Curtain rod.” I motion at it, grabbing a wad of paper towels.

For a second, I think Axel is going to argue with me. Then, he lifts a delicate eyebrow and shakes his head, muttering as he grabs the rod.

“Careful! Don’t tip it.” I’m sure the shrimp has rotted to a nice juice at this point. Although maybe I could get him to dump it all over himself…

“What the fuck?” Axel hisses as the smell explodes, and I jump to catch the wad of grey goo that falls out of the end of the rod.

I try to hold in a gag. Then Buddy comes jumping at me, trying to lick the end of the rod.

“No!” I try to hold the towels away while I hold Buddy by her collar. She can lunge too close, and I hiss, handing the wadded-up shrimp towels to Axel.

“Fucking–” He grabs at them, but not before they topple to the ground.

I yank Buddy back. “Throw it away! Outside.”