The Wedding Debt (Underworld Kings)
“To many more years,” Luca adds, and then he turns his head to me in spite, winking.
He’s celebrating the fact that we’re switching schools … and that he’s going to turn my life into a living hell.
Chapter 4
Luca
Hours later
* * *
There is only one thing I hate more than being left alone to my own damn thoughts, and that’s being left alone with the most impossible girl on the planet.
Jill Baas.
She stares at me from across the black velvet couch, still wearing that gold-flaked beige dress she wore at the restaurant that looks handmade, but it’s much more sophisticated than that red dress I saw her in years ago.
She clutches her panty-clad knees like she’s afraid they might melt off from the fire crackling in the fireplace. But it isn’t the fire she should be afraid of.
“Nice dress,” I say.
“Thanks,” she replies, getting all flustered. “Made it myself.”
“I can see that.”
The blush immediately disappears, and she looks stoically ahead like she’s trying to vanish into the couch from embarrassment.
It wasn’t meant as an insult.
Though I guess she’d take it that way.
I part my legs farther and shift in my seat, trying to get comfortable while wasting my time, but it’s clearly not working as I’m getting more agitated by the second. Maybe, just maybe, it doesn’t fucking help that this girl can’t stop looking at me like a lost sheep.
“What?” I bark.
She shrugs, still obviously on edge. “Nothing.”
I sigh and fish a smoke from my pocket, throwing the package her way. “Here. Have a smoke. Maybe it’ll calm you down.”
“I’m calm, thanks,” she replies, not even looking in the direction of the package like she’s afraid it could give her cancer on sight.
I shake my head and light my cig. “Suit yourself.”
Shit, I’ve never had this hard of a time entertaining ‘guests’ my father brings home, but I guess there’s a first time for everything.
With Jill, I never know what to expect. If anything at all.
Taunting her is only fun if she reacts, but all she’s done is deny me and it pisses me off.
“Where are Liam and Jasmine?” she asks.
Of course, she’s more interested in them.
I take a drag of my cig, watching the panic settle in her eyes when she realizes she might have to spend all her time with me alone. “I don’t know.”
“Maybe we should go upstairs and look for them.”
She’s that desperate for him?
A smoldering fire begins deep inside me, but I ignore it. Maybe I should poke the dragon a little, see what happens.
I blow out the smoke. “And interrupt their fuck session?”
Her eyes widen and her whole body tenses up.
Shit, I’d almost say like it matters a little too much to her.
“Relax, he won’t hurt her,” I add.
She gets up and starts walking to the door, so I jump up and catch up with her, blocking the door just in time. “Whoa, whoa, where are you going?”
She stares me down like she’s mad I stopped her. “Upstairs.”
“Why?” I raise a brow.
“Because … you’re boring.” She folds her arms like she means business.
Me, boring? I think the fuck not.
She’s just trying to get away from me … and run into Liam’s arms.
Pathetic.
“You wanted to see if they’re really fucking or not,” I say.
She cocks her head. “Or maybe you just don’t want to face the fact that you’re a horrible host.” She tries to pass me, but I shut the door. “What’s your problem?”
“You,” I say, eyeing her up and down until she backs off a little. “And I don’t intend to let that slide.”
She rolls her eyes and marches back to the couch. “Fine. Have it your way. We can sit here all night and talk about nothing and do nothing. Happy now?”
“Never,” I respond as I come to join her. But when I sit down beside her, she scoots over to get farther away from me. “You scared of me, bunny?”
“Bunny?” she scoffs, and it takes a while for her brain to register why I called her that.
She shakes her head. “Do not call me that.”
“Skittish little bunny you are.” I lick my lips at the sight of her red-hot face. I love the way she looks at me, like she could bite my head off and fuck me over at the same time. “You gonna jump in some water too?”
“Oh fuck you, I haven’t forgiven you for that,” she growls back, but it only makes me laugh.
“Good. Stay mad,” I respond.
“What happened to that bunny anyway?” she asks, curious as ever.
I raise a brow and lick my lips. “You’d like to know, wouldn’t you?”
When I wink, she rolls her eyes. “Ugh. Typical.”
I don’t know why I enjoy seeing her ticked off so much, but I do.
Maybe it’s because she’s always pretending to be so perfect. Like she’s on a pedestal that I can’t ever reach.