If that’s supposed to encourage me to get up… It doesn’t work. Our eyes lock again, and that static between us intensifies, becoming almost tangible. For a split second, I swear his brown eyes flicker to yellow and a dull growl emanates from his chest.
But his phone rings, breaking the heady spell, and he curses while pulling it out.
“Jerk,” he says into the phone, and I swear I hear laughing on the other end. “I said we’re coming.” He pauses, and then his grin splits his face as I stand up and tug on my shorts, sans my destroyed panties. “Wrong kind of coming, dickhead. But that’s your fault.”
My face heats, and I feel the red crawling around on me as Thad’s chuckle breaks free, teasing me more than the crass words. I duck my head, walking out of the room, doing all I can not to brush against him.
He continues chuckling and talking to the guy who I assume must be Gage. They apparently want him there pretty badly. Thad’s hand immediately goes to my waist, and I tuck myself against his side when we walk outside.
It may just be next door, but I feel like I’m taking a long walk of shame in his shirt and my torn shorts. Yes. He tore the front of my shorts, yet I don’t remember that happening.
Thad follows me into my house, and I stumble to a halt just as he puts his phone away. He tugs me against him as I stare at the girl who has made herself entirely too comfortable in my home.
“You must be the roommate,” she says without missing a beat, her orange and red hair looking like flames from a wild fire.
She stares over my shoulder, and her gaze flickers from me to Thad several times before she looks away.
She’s clad in leather. Leather! Head to freaking toe… leather. Really? Her eyeliner looks like she tried to make her eyes appear black. She’s fit and athletic looking, but I doubt she’s the type to be in organized sports. Or maybe I’m being judgmental.
“I am,” I finally say, irritated and trying not to get pissed. My blood pumps faster, and I force myself to calm down. I’ve never liked people bullying their way into my life, and she’s in my house. I don’t know why, but it’s really pissing me off.
“You aren’t here very much,” Wendy states, but she sounds accusatory for some reason as she stands and moves toward the kitchen.
At least her weapons aren’t lying around right now. Yes. Freaking weapons.
Thad tightens his grip on me.
“You’re pretty rude for an unwanted guest,” Thad tells her, his tone bored and taunting at the same time.
Her jaw tenses as her spine stiffens, and she narrows her eyes at him.
“You hang around a lot?” she asks, directing her question toward him.
Thad laughs as though he’s amused now. “I see how they’re related,” he says, pushing me toward the wrong room.
I don’t want him to see my actual room. It’s small and sad. I’d rather him think of me as sweet rather than boringly depressing.
“Excuse me?” Wendy growls.
“I said I see the family resemblance,” Thad explains as I rush to my room to get ready. “Annoying must be a family trait,” he adds, his voice growing more distant as I hurry inside my room.
Petunias. Roses. Lilies. Sunlight. Ducks…
I continue to recite calming things, needing to get my temper under control. The second I lose
it, I’ll black out. Then Thad will stay because he’s concerned, and he won’t go where he’s needed.
I shut the door, blocking off the sound of their voices. But it doesn’t block out the sound of a door slamming and Thad laughing. I bypass makeup, since I rarely wear it anyway, and I opt to throw on a sundress and flip flops. I run a brush through my hair, slip on some panties, and practically sprint out.
The sooner we’re out of here, the better.
Chapter 9
THAD
I’m laughing at the door that just slammed, proud of the fact I could easily run off the bitch who felt like she was some sort of alpha. She has no idea what a true alpha looks like.
She’s fucking crazy if she thinks I’ll let her stay in Roslyn’s home for one more day.