Savage Sinners (Elites of Macedon High 3)

“Why would I?”

“She’s that useless to you,” I say dryly. “I can’t even believe I’m hearing this.”

He shakes his head while dropping his hand from my shoulder. “I didn’t say she was useless, Alex. I just don’t think it’s something worth focusing on right this second.”

“You’re a cold-hearted dickhead. Do you know that?”

He frowns, the sympathy gone from his expression like smoke disappearing in the wind. “You’re not thinking clearly. You’re upset.”

“I can think just fine while having emotions. I do it all the time.”

“No, you’re about to lose your fucking handle on reality. I can tell by that face you’re making.”

My scowl overwhelms my features and I take a step back. What does Parker know about my moods? It’s not like he’s ever taken the time to study them before. “You don’t know shit.”

“I know plenty, precious. This is a pretty suspiciously timed distraction. Why didn’t they send the ransom before when she was initially taken? Why did they wait until now?” He shakes his head. “Because somebody is pulling the strings behind the scenes and trying to keep us from fighting back.”

I shrug. “Who fucking knows why they waited to send the ransom demands? Kidnappers don’t exactly operate on any kind of logic, Parker.”

“Speaking of logic—I know you have access to it. Just fucking think about what I asked you for five seconds and you’ll see how it’s pointless to fall for Neill as bait.”

“Don’t patronize me, Parker.”

His frown deepens. It’s hard to imagine him looking more disappointed, yet it keeps happening. Is there an end to his selfishness? “If I’m patronizing you, you’ll fucking know it.”

“I don’t think you can control when you’re being a dick. It just rolls right off the tongue, doesn’t it?”

“You mean like the way you’re a bitch?”

I scoff. “The only reason I act like a bitch is that you’re being an asshole.”

“I wouldn’t have to be an asshole if you weren’t such a fucking brat.”

“I’m not a brat!”

Frustration inspires me to take a step forward and stand on my toes. Parker matches my height while crossing his arms over his chest, muscles flexing with the motion and making his shoulders appear bigger than usual. We’re puffing up on each other like animals preparing for a fight—and maybe that’s just what we are at this point.

He shakes his head and holds up his hand. “I can count five reasons right now why your bratty attitude makes you shitty at running your business.”

“I fucking dare you.”

He holds up his forefinger. “You forgot your weapon on your last run because you were too busy moping over dumb shit.”

“I bet Soren left out the fact that he rushed me to the car.”

He holds up his second finger. “You recklessly went alone to collect a debt and almost got yourself raped.”

“It’s not my fault he was a huge guy!”

He holds up a third finger, tapping it rhythmically as he states, “You keep thinking with your clit instead of focusing on your business. No wonder you keep making mistakes. All you want to do is fuck everything around you.”

“I don’t fucking hear you complaining about that.”

“I don’t have to.”

I snort. “That’s because you benefit from it, you fucking idiot. We all have our vices. Sex is mine. Lay off about it.”

“If you keep letting it distract you, you’ll get killed.”