Changing Beauty (The Deadly Beauties Live On 2)

Ella turns back to Gage, narrowing her eyes. “I had to stretch my wings. Da—I mean, Kane should understand. Why are you solo?”

He smirks cockily. “Because I’m that badass.”

Thad rolls his eyes, but then Zee says, “And Dice is in the car.”

Gage shrugs, his cockiness still in play. “And Dice will be of some major help,” he says sarcastically.

Dice, Zee, Ella, Thad, Gage, Kane, Kimber… What kind of names are these? Who the hell am I to talk?

“Let’s take this to my room,” Thad says against my ear, and I immediately tense.

“Um… I should get home. This… just a little too fast for me.”

His throaty chuckle vibrates through me, and chills rise on my skin.

“Don’t worry, sweet girl. I’m not trying to tarnish your halo. Yet. I just don’t feel like sharing you with all of them. Come on.” He tugs me with him, forcing me to follow.

“Some chick just went i

nto your house,” Zee announces, still staring out the window and apparently watching my coming and going guests.

“Um… yeah. I have a roommate.”

“It wasn’t her,” he says, and Thad’s arms get stiff as his body tenses, as though he’s on alert.

“Jenny’s cousin is spending the weekend with us. It’s probably her. She was supposed to be getting here early this morning, but I left to hit the gym before school. She was staying with some friends in town, but apparently they kicked her out.”

Thad relaxes, but only slightly. Gage nods to him as though there’s an unspoken conversation, and then the blonde tempter pulls me toward a bedroom. It’s much, much larger than I was expecting, considering his house isn’t too much bigger than mine.

The large bed is covered in a seductive dark red color, and the numerous pillows all look so full and inviting. His hardwood floors are dark, but a rug that matches his bed warms the space. It’s fairly dark in here with all the color choices, but it doesn’t look anything like what I imagined.

Not that I’ve spent hours imagining his room. I haven’t. Nope. Not at all.

His arms come around my waist with a familiarity they shouldn’t have, and I find myself leaning back against his hard chest.

“You still coming with me tomorrow?” he asks, moving his hands down to my waist and settling them there.

I’d say yes to almost anything right now.

“Mm hmm.”

I feel his smile rather than see it, but suddenly someone is pounding on the door. Zee walks in, smirking as we turn around, and Thad groans for some reason.

“Now?” he asks.

“Yep. Need to go to Edgebrook. Sorry.”

Thad mutters something about needing a break, but he sighs before turning me in his arms. “You’re welcome to hang out here if you want to avoid your roommate and her cousin. I couldn’t imagine dealing with two of them.”

Zee walks away, leaving us alone again.

“It’s fine. I’m sure Wendy isn’t too bad,” I tell him, even though I know it’s a lie. Jenny calls her a bitch, and if Jenny thinks she’s a bitch, then she has to be frigging terrible.

“Just stay. Ella will be hanging out here, and Gage’s girlfriend is probably on the way by now, since she knows Ella is here. Stick around. They’re not bitches, and I think you could use a break.”

I’m not sure why he seems so insistent on me staying here. I barely know him, and I really don’t know his friends. But a break from Jenny and the unwanted houseguest could be… nice.

“Sure,” I finally say with a shrug.