Page 62 of Made in Malice
“Yup, come on. Don’t leave me hanging.”
“Fine, I’ll need to run by the house to grab my suit,” I agree.
“I wouldn’t complain if you went without. I could even join you if that would make you more comfortable,” Nox offers with a charming grin.
“I’m not the skinny dip in the light of day kind of girl,” I tease, realizing I’m flirting with him.
“So if we wait until tonight?” he hedges.
“Are you trying to get us arrested?”
“Nah, we’d be fine.” He lies down in the backseat.
“What are you doing?” I question, assuming he would jump up front, not keep hiding in the back.
“Believe me, it’ll be easier this way. I’ll wait in the car while you run in and get what you need.”
“This feels weird,” I confess while leaving the parking lot to head to the Umbras. “Do you think Astrid and Rory would give you a hard time or something?”
“Probably not to my face. We’re the next to take over, but they might give you shit about being around me. Plus, there’s all the nonsense about families not socializing.”
“I didn’t know that. So they don’t want the founding families being friends?”
“They don’t want some of the founders forming alliances and overruling the others. It’s a shitty rule anyway. It’s been happening from the beginning.”
“So who made the rules then?” My heart is beating a little fast when I hit the button to open the gate for the Umbra property, like I’m worried they are going to know I’m smuggling Nox into their territory.
“The original founders came up with the creed.”
“The creed?” I question.
“Yeah, bullshit rules. I’m surprised they haven’t talked to you about this yet.” He lets me hear his doubt.
“I promise you they haven’t. To tell you the truth, I don’t even see them that much,” I admit.
“They probably figure they have a long time to indoctrinate you since you won’t have to rule for a while.” He says it so casually, so matter-of-factly, yet it still about knocks me over.
“What do you mean, indoctrinate me to rule?” I look over the seat and see him all scrunched up on the bench because he’s too big to be back there lying down, but he hasn’t complained once.
“Nova, you’re the next in line for the Umbra family.”
“Nuh-uh,” I deny like a grade-schooler.
“Uh-huh,” he argues right back.
“I didn’t agree to that.” I’m indignant and frankly a little freaked out. I don’t want to rule anyone, let alone this island.
“You have a while before you need to worry about it.”
“How long?”
“A couple decades,” he answers and wiggles around, looking for more room.
“This is… That’s crazy. I have more questions, but I’ll be right back,” I tell him quickly. My mind is reeling, plus I can see he’s uncomfortable.
I hop out of the car, leaving it running so he doesn’t overheat, then rush through the door to get what I need.
“You’re in a hurry,” Rory says, causing me to skid to a halt in the hallway.