“We who?”
“Me, Gideon, William, and Dante.”
She shook her head, lips pursed. “No, you don’t. You only used me. You don’t love me. You would have fucked any random girl.”
I couldn’t deny that, but she was ours just as we were hers. “We belong to you, Sian. All you have to do is snap your fingers, and we’ll be whoever you want us to be.”
She folded her arms. “I just want you to love me.” She covered her mouth with her hand. “I don’t think I should have said that out loud. I asked my birthday cake for that wish. It won’t come true now. You went and spoiled it. No. I spoiled it.”
My headache was getting worse. “It has already come true,” I said, crouching down to her level.
“But you don’t like me. You hate me.”
“I don’t hate you, Sian.”
She looked up at me with those big brown eyes and expressive face. All I wanted to do was take care of her.
“You don’t.”
“Sian, I don’t try to figure out what shit to do to make you safe. What happened to Fred was my fault because I wanted to know everything about you.” It wasn’t too far from the truth.
“I’m a weirdo,” she said.
“Why?”
“I like four guys and I don’t want to pick. I don’t want to be with The Society if they can tear us all apart like they did my mom. That wasn’t fair.”
“We wouldn’t let them.”
“How can you stop them? They’re so powerful.” She sighed.
“Sian, how about we get in the car? We can talk about this some more. We don’t want them to be listening in on our conversation, do we?”
She pressed her lips together and shook her head. “No.”
“Good.” I smiled. “Come on.”
Much to my relief, she came up with me, a little unsteady on her feet, but I got her there.
“I’m so tall,” Sian said. “It looks like a long way to fall. You won’t let me fall, will you? You’ll catch me?”
“I will catch you.”
She giggled, resting her head against my arm. “I love you.”
I stopped at the car, liking how that felt as she said it.
“Say it again,” I said.
“I love you, Mateo.” She went onto her tiptoes and pressed a wet kiss to my lips. The scent of alcohol was heavy on her breath, but I didn’t care.
Don’t kiss her. Don’t do anything you’ll regret.
I wanted to kiss her, to hold her, to tell her all the reasons she should be mine and no one else’s. Not a single word left my lips.
Stroking her hair back, the reckless part of me wanted to throw her over my shoulder, drive her as far away from all the trouble as was possible, and join her. The sensible part of me got her into the car, safely. I secured her seatbelt.
William was out cold in the back. With him falling fast asleep, I didn’t have to worry with him being sick.
Rounding the car, I began the drive back to Gideon’s house.
Sian would occasionally sing, turn the radio, ask questions that were pointless.
“Why do you think the sky is blue?”
“Do you think grass will taste green?”
“If you were a bird, what kind of bird would you be?”
“Do you believe in aliens?”
They went on and on.
When she went quiet, I glanced at her, thinking she was falling asleep. Her hand covered her mouth, and I saw she was going to be sick.
After pulling up against the side of the road, I rushed to her side, opening the door. Leaning over, I unclicked the seat belt and helped.
It was too late.
She bent over, and I didn’t move fast enough as she threw up all down the front of my shirt and pants.
“Oops,” Sian said. “I’m sorry.”
At least it wasn’t in my car.
****
Dante
I needed a drink.
Sleep hadn’t come to me tonight, and I wasn’t sure why. I didn’t think I could handle Sian leaving us. The very thought was enough to throw me into chaos. My drawing in the last few hours had changed from light to dark. I sensed it in the shading of my pictures.
I was on the bottom step when Mateo entered, carrying in a passed-out Sian.
“What the fuck?”
“She’s drunk. Believe me, tonight hasn’t been a good one.”
The stench of vomit assailed me, turning my stomach. “You’re telling me.” I was ready to throw up myself.
“I’m not in the mood. William is in the car. Can you help me get him?” He put Sian down on the sofa in the first reception room.
Heading out of the house, we saw William curled up on the back seat.
“Is it wrong I want to drag his ass instead?”
“Try it,” I said.
It had been a long time since I saw William like this.
“Was there a reason?” I asked.
“Sian’s starting her new life, and the best way to do it was with mixing beers and tequila.”