5 Sep

ancisco (Uncle

- Me

did it cross my mind that Damio

st be cryogenically frozen on the inside - because no one with a functioning heart can be that casually crue

s. He owes me an explana

For one pathetic second, I hope it's him - before reality sma

pointment se

ber. I fro

Melaena, hope you're

Who is

number:

hat do

Revenge. But m

:

r: You belon

Fudg

by, I'm not going anyw

he screen.

to ruining my evening. My stomach twists, irritation bubbling up, but I shove it down. I

it hi

O

ts. You'

mi

nity. His name starts with D, his hobbies include intimidation and psychologic

osed. Certif

e room, looking for Kiara. We need to confront him - n

m again, a female voice stops me

and casually lean against the wall, suddenly very interested

the kind that sounds like it's been rehearsed. "Ug,

ike Jackson trained me - because appare

u decided to

." Another sigh. Longer thi

bad you ignored every other rule growing up.

rong. I sn

ll get hurt. Like ... physically. The devil will

The.

is thing? Hand out emotional traum

fall in love with someone else. Preferably a girl who

ares

or me." The words land h

st tig

Grimm - certified menace, profe

ely fond. Gone.

h C

usly?

te really is

ken her trust too many times. I wouldn't be surprised if she

fake. There's no bravado

ncomfortable and emo

ts, bones, trust ... with the right tools and patience.

I can't li

that makes stupid men fear bodily harm and supernat

ught Damion

ntly,

belongs to someon

e of the party blurring into a dull roar. I barely register my sur

s digging in, head dr

yes

his smug face and his stupid rules and

n. That stupid, unreliable organ that clearly

hat must

h doom, "are your brothers going to be so sick. They're fee

y could be juggling chainsaws for all I care - I hav

toward the e

id

a buffet. Axel hands out shots, my brothers knock them b

erywhere. Brai

course - has positioned herself perfectly between Damion a

neat little row against the wall, arms folded, sil

Damion's neck. He jolts as i

mach r

urges up my throat. Jeal

be illegal. I spin to Kiara and dump my misery

e you starting your period early, or are

ch. She follows my line of sig

ys. "Did you

"What does Ren hav

tfully. "Then it's Da

shoulder. Non

's a barnacle. He drags her out toward the front of the house while she glares daggers.

rs are ..

rated. Sometimes I swear men a

teases. "What did you do

e and resumes drinking

produce more brainless, heartless males so the cycle can continue. Look a

kay ... who would send you something like t

r guess is as

into his broad back. Funny how he doesn't seem remotely concern

y. "He's crazy, but n

t conv

s softly. "You look like you need seri

t Ren?" I

near Damion. "I'm sure he can locate the exit withou

on already sca

I like that b

He saved my life once, when I was little. A secret between us no one knows about. I don't remember much. Just fra

ng as barman. Moments later, he slides bottles toward

of fir

he kitchen, steal a tub of double fudge ice cream and two

ed under HER clothes

e sofa and flinging open my wardrobe. A hoodie

tha

b into it. She does the same - a head taller than me, go

quilt my mom stitched years ago, place the ice cream betwee

. I take a deep gulp. It b

," I say between scoops of ice cream,

ed," she says slowly

ecause of him," I rant. "And then he has the

stay away from you?" She asks

s up my life. To torture me. Because he

s something I don't. Wh

reason," she says care

what I overheard. My eyes sting. I drink ag

y. "Well. That expla

I grumble. "Of th

of Chloe. Of

Grimm's

," Kiara muses. "The biker l

"Pos

ot it wrong

ne time,"

"Three, if we count th

My track recor

s going to explode as soon as his wife arrived. And

name. Chloe." I sink back into the pillows. "And Re

says. "I'm your be

That is nev

"I don't like the compa

y chest heavy and confus

to rethink this

eed another spoon

el creme bottle like it's a lifeline,

mous ... unless you count my infamous ability to

tal idiot like every other guy in o

n slide down my throat, and the edges of my brain soften. We finish

ff the bed, reaching for the Kahlua. I burs

soar!" I snort, wipi

n a human inhabit a mattress. I snatch the Kahlua bottle and dump it straight into the ice cream tub. She wa

crap," I say, tapping Pan - my

my arm started hurting. Said some special

works?" Kiara ask

I say. Like M

urtle. "That's where you got your name

t it's an impressive thingy ...

e giggle hysterically. I mean, I've only ever seen a penis in pictures

tic,

my lips. "We don't want Ren and

a hand over my mouth, hoping to conta

il our noses

ch pretty sk

. This is our second round of liquid courage. In Europe, the drinking age i

admit, my voice way louder a

nged ice cream out of her mouth

says, "It mu

aotic circle above our hea

. "I think it'

uspiciously. "Yeah, thi

an stumbles in, collapsing on the sofa like a

ic) love you, baby," he hiccu

er at Kiara. "And I lo

? It's the air. N

nd taps me on the nose. I

e a storm cloud - big, bad,

th a smirk. "We were

d unfiltered. "You've got t

" Kiara echoes,

t, and wears that grin - the on

pright, gagging, hand

amion's already hauling Logan into the

ar him say. Then the

y balance, and sneak to the bathroom door

bitch?" My voice is small,

raspy and way too smooth for s

shower, his own shirt off, and those damn jeans that some

?" I w

at me, e

shoul

omise." He giggles like I

alls from the bed, clutchin

ion. He shuts off the water and

mio

sarming. The kind that could probab

the tub. "You should fill it ... with w

ly. "Guys don't do bubbles.

re thing to add to t

I let him. I trail a finger across hi

me about D. Who's D?" h

he quilt. I push my nose into hi

The hiccup wasn't planned. Neit

sage," Kiara remi

talker, and I think it's you. Because you-Da

, like a little kid caught steal

say, voice thick.

imes in helpfull

I add quickly, flustered. "Ma

glance at Kiara, p

en any dicks,"

hat helped. O

even one." Great.

closed dramatically.

-uh-hypopotamus confused. Then it pumps out hormones like a busted fire hydra

isper right

ed laugh. I forget ever

pnotic apple-green eyes, the scar that slices his t

lips witho

try to sleep," he

th me?" I blurt, s

hing. I want to crawl un

, "Shush," and pulls

, but somehow, for the first