Page 34 of Puck My Life

Raynor sits beside me and bumps my shoulder. I startle out of my thoughts of those awful dreams.

“Why are you here?”

“We’re going to go shopping,” I say and instantly groan. That was a poor choice. Shopping is Hell on Earth with these three.

Raynor snorts. “Still going to keep trying to keep up this charade, are you?”

I tilt my head back and smile up at the sky. “I’m not leaving you behind.” If I reassure them enough, maybe they will hear me.

“But you kind of are. Isn’t that what the moving-out thing is?”

My temper peaks, and I push off the bonnet and stalk away from him. “Me leaving you? Isn’t that what you did to me first?”

Raynor gets up slowly, with catlike grace. His gaze sharp. “Do you think that? How?” he shoots back.

I step back, circling away from him as he follows me. His smile is crooked, and irritates me further.

“How? You have an entire life, and I’m just…” I look away, furious with him and myself. “I’m your maid. I’m nothing. The only reason you three are upset I’m gone is because your orderly life is falling apart. Who will feed you, make sure you get up on time, clean up your house, do your washing?”

“That’s not true, Vae, and you know it.”

I snarl at him, but he moves quicker than I can think, boxing me against the driver’s side door of my car. I shove at his arm, but he’s impossible to move. He might not be as muscled as Deacon and Mal, but Raynor works out.

“Let me out.”

“No.”

“Raynor, let me go!” I snarl at him.

He leans in, his pupils dilating. “Vae, darling, what perfume are you wearing?”

The blood in my head drains so fast it leaves me weak. I fight against him, pure panic coursing through my veins, but he’s immovable.

“Did you borrow something from a friend?”

I still, unable to believe what he’s asking me. He thinks I’m wearing something else? That the perfume isn’t mine? I should be relieved, but I’m even more furious.

I press my lips together and stare at the shiny button on his shirt.

“You smell like honeycomb candy.”

I lift my eyes, finding his gaze, my anger fizzing out as anticipation grabs me in a chokehold. “Raynor…”

He twists his lips and studies me with questions I can’t answer.

“Oh, look, our jailer is here. Have you come to make sure we behave?”

I glance away from Raynor and find Deacon glaring at me. Mal brushes past him and drags me into his arms.

“I’m taking you shopping,” I say quickly but relax and lean into Mal.

Deacon pauses, his expression getting hard. “Nope-”

“I wasn’t asking, Deacon.”

“I’d like to see you attempt it.” Deacon smiles like he’s won already.

I want to stomp a foot or hit him or both. “What do you want, Deacon?” I ask guardedly. I know full well how to play this game.