Flock (The Ravenhood)

“Why?”

He tips his beer. “Because you’ll find out they’re human.”

He takes my phone away when I lift it to check the message.

“New rule. No phones with me.”

“What?” I jerk my head back. “Not ever?”

“Never. Not in my car, not in my house, not in the garage. When you’re with me, you leave your phone at home.”

“You’re serious?”

“It’s all I ask. But I am seriously asking you for this.” His tone is severe, leaving little room for negotiation.

“Why?”

“A few reasons, one of them being this is my time. I’m choosing to spend it with you, and I want the same from you.”

“It sounds controlling to me.”

He leans in. “Hand to the Messiah, I promise you, baby, the last thing I want to do is control you.”

“Then what’s with the rule?”

“If I asked you to please trust me enough and that an explanation will come later, would you?”

Jade eyes prompt mine. He’s serious, so much so that I can’t look away.

“Why can’t I get an explanation now?”

“We aren’t there yet.”

“You’re talking in riddles again.”

“I know, but it’s a dealbreaker for me.”

I gape at him. Never in our time together has he taken such an air of authority. It irks me to no end, but is it really too much to ask?

“It’s a slippery slope. If I give you this, the explanation damn well better be worth it.”

“It will be.”

“Okay. Fine, for now, no phone.”

“Good,” he leans in. “Two words to describe you…” he chucks the underside of my chin, “beautiful and buzzing.”

I give him a begrudging grin. “Nah, not yet.”

“Sure.” He puts his beer down and grips my hand, pulling me from my chair just as “So What’Cha Want” by the Beastie Boys starts to play. “Good one.”

“There are perks to being raised by Generation X,” I follow his lead. My eyes drink him in.

“What’s that?”

“The music, of course.”

“Can’t argue with that.”