“What’s that?”
“That you annoy the shit out of me.” My arms muffle my voice, but he hears me anyway, laughing his head off, and I seriously consider grabbing the skillet and whacking him with it.
“You’ll like me more after some bacon and toast,” he assures me, and he’s not wrong, although I only eat one piece of bacon before my stomach protests. I don’t actually start feeling human until I swig back two cups of coffee, and I look across the table at Justin with a smile.
“Thanks for that,” I say. “I had fun last night.”
“I did, too.” He smiles back at me, suddenly looking a lot more exhausted than when I’d first got up. “I should go soon. I’m kind of scared that Sasha might’ve eaten Matt’s head.” I stare at him blankly until he explains, “Like she’s a praying mantis.”
“I got it. You’re just not funny.”
Before he can retort, there’s a sharp knock at the door, making me lift my eyebrows.
Justin frowns. “You expecting someone?”
I shake my head just as the knock comes again, louder and more impatient. “No.” I stand up and head for the door, expecting some kind of door-to-door salesperson.
Instead, I come face to face with a smirking bitch.
Otherwise known as Silvia.
CHAPTER 19
Lily
Isag against the doorframe with a groan. “Why me?”
Silvia frowns but before she can say anything, Justin appears from the kitchen.
“Why you, what?” he asks curiously. “Who is it?”
Silvia’s eyes widen, taking in the creased, rumpled state of his clothes and his tousled hair. It only takes a micro-second and then her lips curl into a smug smile. “Oh! I never could have imagined this would turn out so perfectly.”
Justin and I share a look before I lift my eyebrows. “Okay.” She opens her mouth again, but I swing the door shut, slamming it closed right in her face. I don’t move, knowing the bitch won’t get the message that easily and, sure enough, she immediately raps a vicious beat on the wood.
“What the hell’s going on?” Justin asks in bemusement. “Do you know her?”
I tip my chin down. “She’s the spawn of Satan.”
He makes a humming sound. “Always figured the spawn of Satan would be blond.” He turns and heads back to the kitchen. I watch as he stumbles over nothing, almost planting his face into my wall.
I turn back to the door, cracking it open to peek out. “I don’twant what you’re selling,” I inform her haughtily. “Get your cheap butt off my porch.”
“Cheap—” she sucks a breath through her nose, eyes falling shut like she’s trying to find some inner peace.
Good luck with that. I wish her the specific kind of inner peace that means she’ll never find a charged battery when she really needs it.
My amusement must leak through because when she opens her eyes, she quickly steps back, alarm flashing across her face, which only makes my smile widen into a grin.
“Look, Lily,” she begins, her lips curling in a sneer. “I’ve just come to give you a fair warning.” I tilt my head, watching her, and she falters at my lack of interest. She recovers, painting a sympathetic mask over her face and tutting her tongue. “I knew you’d mess up eventually, but I didn’t think it’d be so soon after the wedding.”
Something about that niggles at my brain, and I frown. She doesn’t notice, too busy digging through the black purse hanging off her arm, yanking out a handful of crumpled photographs and shoving them in my direction. I glance down, only mildly surprised to see the top one is of me and Justin in Lolita’s, sitting at the table together, our expressions slack and eyes glazed.
“I’ll be showing these to Declan. You don’t think he’ll want you now, do you? Knowing you’ve been slutting yourself around, finding random hookups. You’re just as bad as—” Her eyes flash as her lips clamp shut.
I shoot her a taunting smile. “Oh, don’t stop there, Silvia. Just as bad as…who?”
Uneasiness edges into her stare, but she jams a pointed nail at the photos. “You never deserved Declan,” she hisses, letting her smile tip triumphantly. “But don’t worry. I’ll look after him, as a good friend would. I’ll offer my shoulder for him, and it won’t take long for him to see what’s always been right in front of him.”
