Page 95 of Pretty Poisoned
"Behave," he tells her. "No fucking kiwi." Luca nods to someone outside the door and holds it open. "Oh, hey."
"Hey. See you later," Declan says. His voice makes my heart stop. I feel my cheeks flush red. I'm not sure why—I'm not embarrassed or ashamed of what happened. But it's just…him.
"What's wrong with kiwi?" Declan asks as the door closes behind him. I don't look at him as he crosses the room, turning to face River instead, twirling her hair in my fingers.
"Teagan is allergic," River tells him.
"Really?" he asks, standing at the foot of the bed.
He's in a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved henley; the buttons are left open, and the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. His dark hair falls over his forehead in that way that looks like a perfect accident, just barely brushing his eyebrows.
I kind of hate it.
Assuming his question is rhetorical, I don't answer.
"And what's wrong with Teagan?"
"Um, nothing…I think," River says.
"Luca sliced her up—you should see it. But I think she's fine," Hazel tells him.
"I've seen it," he says. "Good morning, Teagan."
I turn and look somewhere over his shoulder. "Morning."
He lies across the bed between Hazel and me.
"I missed you," Hazel says, resting her head on his shoulder. "I feel like I've barely seen you since we left home."
"I've been busy," Declan says. His hand finds mine in the small space between us, and I hold my breath as his fingers thread between mine.
"Have you talked to her at all, Declan?"
He shrugs. "What? Who?"
"Alana."
"Oh…no."
"I miss her. She blocked me," River says. "On everything. Hazel, too."
"We cried all night," Hazel adds.
"I miss them so much."
"I'm sorry," Declan says. "There's nothing we can do about it; it's Alana's life and her choice. Not ours."
Them.River saidthem,not just her. His detached, diplomatic response fails to address the plurality in her statement, reminding me exactly what I'm dealing with—the man who, after years, couldn't tell Layla he loved her while she was dying.
"Let's go get doughnuts," Declan says. "The best place is just a few blocks away. We can walk."
"Oh my god, yes," Hazel says. "I'll text Brady."
"Teagan, are you coming?" he asks.
"Um, I just realized I'm locked out of my room. And I need to change."
"Go change," he says, handing me a key from his pocket.
