Dangerous Fling (Dangerous Noise 4)

And I'm stuck here for the next few hours.

Really, it's the perfect time for them to torture me.

I look back at Piper. "I ended things."

"You ended things?" She presses her lips together and exhales through her nose. "Why the hell did you do that?"

"It's not exactly surprising," Ethan says.

"Don't let this slide." She shoots Ethan a knowing look. "Give him hell."

Ethan shoots back an equally knowing look. He turns to me. "Why did you end things?"

"It was time for them to end," I say.

"He doesn't want to talk about it." Ethan shrugs. "If you want to try to pry something out of him, go ahead."

"Mal never wants to talk about anything. You can't give up, not with that bullshit non-answer." She stares into my eyes with the fury of a woman who will do anything to get what she wants. "Why did you end things?" Piper's voice gets too loud for a hospital waiting room, but she shows no signs of backing down.

Even so, I say nothing.

"She's an amazing woman," Piper says.

"I know." I know a lot better than Piper.

"So… what's the problem?" My sister's expression gets earnest. She wants to know. She's hurt I'm not sharing. She's hurt that I'm hurt.

"Pipes, give him a break." Ethan pulls out his cell and checks the screen. "He can't help being an idiot."

"Why, Mal?" she asks.

"She's in love with me," I say

.

Piper's brow furrows. She blinks hard. She stares at Ethan. At Kit. At me. "She's in love with you, so you break up with her?"

"Not exactly," I say.

"What the fuck, Mal? What kind of reasoning is that?" She stares at me like I'm crazy.

Maybe I am.

"It's not surprising," Ethan says. "Mal wants to be miserable. Lacey makes him happy. His only choice is to dump her. It's actually reasonable when you think about it."

Piper turns to Kit. "You agree with this assessment?"

"Seems reasonable to me." Kit shoots me a really look.

I've got no comeback. I look to Ethan for support but he's turning towards the hospital entrance.

There's Vi with two hands full of coffees, in one of those snug print dresses of hers. This one is black with little white skeletons. She's wearing plain black shoes and the lightest hint of makeup.

Ethan gets up to help her with coffee.

Piper keeps staring daggers at me.

Kit whispers in her ear.