Page 30 of Twisted

Suddenly, unwelcome tears bite at the corners of my eyes and my throat tightens with emotion.I clench my jaw and look away, trying to force the pain to go away.

“Were you taken away from someone you love?”she asks, voice barely louder than a whisper.

“Um, I, uh,” I sniff and wipe my eyes, my heart hurting so much I don’t know how much longer I can bear it.“I mean, I was given up pretty freely by my family, but, um, was thinking of my last boyfriend.I really loved him.”

“What happened?”

“He was a hunter, and hunters don’t like witches.But he told me it was okay and he knew me—the real me—and he said he loved every part of me.We wanted to get married.”

“Awww, darling.”She pats my hand.“Go on.”

“He never told his parents we were dating, but after like a year, it was time so we could, ya know, do the whole marriage and living together thing.His dad told himif you’re talking to her I won’t talk to you.He made him choose me or them.He chose them.”

Mabel leans away with a gasp.“What a weak, pathetic man!”

“Right?”I let out another breath and nod.“I agree with you.He is weak and pathetic.You know, he always called himself a wildcard.Said he did what he wanted and wasn’t tied down by rules.”I roll my eyes.“I said something kinda mean when he folded.”

“Ohhh, tell me.”

My lips curve into a smile.“I looked him right in the eyes and saidyou’re not a wildcard, you’re an Uno Reverse card because you go back on everything you promise.”

Mabel laughs.“I love that!”

“It felt good.But so did he.I really thought I’d found the right one.I loved him so much.”

“He wasn’t the right partner.He felt right because youloved hard, not because he loved you well.”

“Damn,” I say, eyes widening.“That’s…that’s true.I was an amazing girlfriend and he…he kept me a secret and kept telling me not to worry and that someday we’ll be able to be seen together in public after he tells his family.”

“Again: pathetic.A real man would never let anyone stand in the way of true love.I haven’t even met this man—no, this boy—and I pity him.Because only someone deeply wounded would confuse approval with love.”

“I said the same thing!”

She picks up my hand, putting it between both of hers.“We’re alike, you and I.You really are the cat’s pajamas, Wren.”

“You’re pretty cool, too.”

Her smile grows.“I’ve always wanted a girlfriend.The others, they…they didn’t remember much.I like that Devon picked a witch.”

A witch.

It’s the second time now a member of the Malus family has called me a witch in a way that’s a compliment.I’m not used to it.At all.

Gasping, she lets go of my hands and gets up.“You know what we’re going to do tonight?”

“What are we going to do?”

“Post thirst traps!”

My brows go up.Mable is such a curious mix of century-old charm, a dash of delusion, and modern times.“Okay.Where are we posting them?”

“Instagram.I’ll tag you.”She leans against the wall and poses.“Then your loser ex will see it.I can just feel it in the air.He misses you.He knows you’re a catch and maybe we should just move on and leave him in the crusty-musty-dust, but we’re only girls.It’s fun to poke the bear and get revenge every now and then, isn’t it?”

She zooms over to me using vampire speed and pushes my hair back.I should be alarmed, or at the very least, aware that she could rip my throat out in just seconds.Yet for some reason, I trust Mabel more than I trust most human men.

Which isn’t saying much, I know.

“I can just see it,” she goes on.“You’ll be in a dress, looking all bearcat and we’ll caption it:Sad day to be my ex.”