Page 41 of They Call Me Wicked
“How did you know?” I bite my lip as my stomach flutters.
“I had a little sister once.” That’s all he says before sitting next to me on the steps and dissolving into silence. It’s a companionable silence that makes my shoulders relax, the tension releasing ever so slightly until it all but disappears.
I want to pry, to dig deeper and focus harder on his aura as I question his past tense usage when talking about his sister, but I don’t. I suppose he’ll tell me if he ever wants to. I may love learning secrets, and I may revel in the drama of revealing them, but not when it’s serious like that.
Even I have limits.
Taking a sip of Kai’s coffee, I let out a moan before smiling widely. “Thanks, Kai.”
“Don’t worry, you can make it up to me later.” The implication is clear in his voice with exactly how I can make it up to him and I can’t help the laughter from bubbling out.
“You are such a perv, Kai Zhao!” I slap at his shoulder lazily with the back of my hand, hearing the crunch of gravel as Nic and Ezra finally mosey on back. “Hey! Wanna do me a favor?”
I feel Kai’s aura perk up slightly, his interest peaked at my conspiratorial whisper. “I’m listening.”
“I wanna go to that girl’s house. The beer-bitch’s. See if I can pick anything up there. Wanna take me?”
“I hope you aren’t trying to skip out on the rest of the class,” Nic chastises, sounding far closer than I expected him to be. I squeak, jumping in place and almost lose my grip on the condensation-covered plastic cup in my hand.
“I wouldnever! How dare you, Nick-oh-laas?!” I feign offense, pressing my hand over my chest and plastering an affronted expression on my face.
“Did you just pronounce his name like Legolas?” Kai chuckles as he shakes his coffee, making the ice jingle around in his cup.
“Isn’t that how you say it?” Now I’m just confused.
“It’s like…Neek-oh-laas.” He says it slowly and I just shake my head.
“No. It’s Nick-oh-laas.”
“Neek.”
“Nick.”
“Neek!”
“Nick!”
“Alright, that’s enough.” Nic’s voice cuts through our argument just as I’m about to wind back and punch Kai. “Answer the question. Where are you trying to run off to now?”
“Ugh. Spoilsport! I was just going to go check out beer-bitch’s house. See if I can sense anything.” I stick out my bottom lip as if begging for his permission, but really, I’ll do it anyway.
“Let’s go. I’ll drive.”
“No way in hell are we all fitting in your tiny ass sports car, Nic. I’ll take Wicked and you and Ezra can take the trash pandas in your car.” Kai stands on the stairs before bending and grabbing my free hand, dragging me to my feet.
“On that monstrosity? No way in hell. You’ll get her killed with the way you drive,” Nic argues and I let out a sigh. It almost sounds like he cares. But then, oh wait, it’s literally his job to keep me alive.
Ezra doesn’t say a word, so I follow his aura and snake my arm through his. He doesn’t even pull away or react to my touch at all. I grin. I’m totally touching a Delta Force operator right now. “Wanna help me up again?”
“Okay.” We leave Kai and Nic arguing on the front steps and Ezra leads me to his truck. My body vibrates with electricity as his hands loop around my waist to lift me onto his passenger seat. When I’m sitting and the door is closed on me, I quite literally do a little jig in my seat.
So maybe, just maybe, I might have a tiny eensy weensy crush on the brick wall giant. I can’t help it though. Any girl who knows even a lick about Delta Force would be the same. It’s like having the Jason Momoa of the army living in my house and protecting me.
Gizmo and Snitch must have followed Ezra, because when the driver’s side door opens, they scramble in and over to me, chittering loudly and almost knocking my coffee right out of my hands. “Woah, boys! I wasn’t going to leave you, I swear!”
Their squeaks are part indignant and part disbelief as they talk back to me. I giggle, petting them while hugging their tiny forms to my chest. Poor guys really thought I was going to leave them behind. I scratch and rub at their heads until they finally calm down and purr once more.
The doors in the backseat open and Kai and Nic climb into the truck as well, their voices immediately swarming me with accusations.