Page 132 of Twisted Ties

The pig girl rolls her eyes and snatches her elbow away from Tristan, folding her arms over her body. It’s cool out here in the night’s air below the canopy of trees, and goosebumps thread across her skin.

“Funny, that’s not what she told me.”

“Are you jealous, little Pig?” Tristan says with a smirk.

“No,” she says firmly, scowling at us both. “You can date who the hell you like. I couldn’t care less.”

“I don’t date,” I say, spitting out the last word like it’s dirty. The last thing I need is some annoying girl hanging around my neck, pawing at me.

“Sleeping with, then,” she says, meeting my eyes.

I hold her gaze. I can see her pulse pounding in her throat, see her breath cloud faintly in front of her mouth. That pull wants me on top of her. “I’m not sleeping with her anymore.”

She swallows, then looks away. “What do you want?”

“You mean apart from you to disappear and never be seen again?” Tristan asks.

“I’m not going anywhere. And last time I checked, you weren’t allowed to talk to me. For someone who is meant to be ignoring me, you are going out of your way to speak with me, Tristan Kennedy.”

He smiles in that lazy way. “You should know by now I don’t always do as I’m told. Something we have in common.”

“I’m nothing like you,” she spits.

“Are the two of you done?” I snap.

They both look at me. The girl’s cheeks are flushed and his eyes are shining.

I can’t deny that there’s some kind of fire between them. A fire that would burn them both to ashes if either one let it. I don’t know how I feel about that.

I step towards her.

“Everyone says you have the were curse.”

“By everyone, I’m guessing you mean Summer. I already told you, I don’t. Professor Stone–”

“You seem pretty close to the professor.”

Tristan shifts his weight from one foot to the other, fiddling with the bandages on his hands.

The monster inside me stirs. He’s always been better at reading situations, at reading people, and he can sense something now.

“There’s something you’re not telling me,” I say lowly, the darkness dangerous in my veins.

Tristan ties the bandages and flexes his fingers.

“She’s bonded to my cousin,” he whispers. “He’s best friends with the professor.”

I stare at him, and he looks up from his hands and meets her eyes. She glares at him so ferociously, I see him flinch.

“You weren’t meant to tell anyone.”

“What?” I say, gripping her elbow and shaking her. “What the fuck? You’re bonded? Are you fucking insane?”

She snaps her head around to me.

“No more than you are.”

“You’re nineteen.”