“There’s girls that hang around like dudes, but then there are girls like Nyx and they get theirProperty of the Death Dwellerscut with a ceremony.”
Grant’s knowledge of the club impressed Rebel. She hadn’t realized he was so invested.
“It’ll be CJ and Ryan’s first official club party.” Diesel raised his drink to CJ and smiled at Kaia. “You should come.”
“Yeah,” Rebel agreed. “You can see if club life suits you.”
The guys shifted and shared an uncomfortable look. What she was missing?
“Maybe next weekend we can go to the flea market?”
Kaia nodded.
“Er, what…what did you do today?” She didn’t want to fall back into uneasy silence so she blurted the first thing that came to her mind. “We had our family over last night, so I helped Momma clean up until it was time to get ready for your visit.”
“What didIdo today?” Kaia took her hand in his and kissed the back of it. “Besides count the hours until I could stare into your eyes that glitter like precious sequins.”
Absolute silence dropped around them.
Rebel laughed nervously. “You’re…you’re, uh, you’re funny, Kaia.”
“No, my love.” He kissed the back of her hand again. “I’m thunderstruck. By you, Reb. You scampered down from your palace in the sky’s night light, Moon Goddess. You’ve struck me stupid.”
“How about I fuckin’ strike you fuckin’ dead so you can shut the fuck up?” Daddy barked.
Uncle Val straightened and blinked at Kaia. Everyone else just stared. Even Rule halted, his fingers gripping the edge of a page, to gape at Kaia.
“Your smile is like moonshine on a rainy day, brightening everyone with radiantrays,” he told her, oblivious to her uncles’ guffaws.
Embarrassment heated Rebel. “Moonshine?” she said dubiously, waiting for Kaia to realize the words didn’t come out right.
Ransom frowned at Kaia. “Moonshine is liquor.”
“Moonshine is the brightness of your sister’s smile,” he said. “If moonshine is liquor, then I’m drunk the moment I look at her face. I stagger with the intensity of her radiance.”
Kayce leaned over to look at his brother. “Dude?” He sounded both confused and appalled. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“Why don’t you save your beautiful poetry for the times we text or talk on the phone?” Rebel suggested, trying to snatch her hand away, but unable to because he gripped it tighter.
Kaia grinned, revealing his dimples.
“Never, sweet. I’m writing an entire poetry book dedicated to you. You’re my muse. You’re the first person to get me and like my poetic compliments.”
“I likesomeof your poetry.” She regretted her defensiveness, but the more Kaia spoke, the more he annoyed everyone. She didn’t know how to diplomatically tell him to shut up. “Don’t be nervous. There’s no reason to talk in riddles. I thought we’d chat normally like we do over the telephone.”
“I save my poetry for our face-to-face meetings.”
Lovely. She could mute him on the telephone. In person, with an audience, she had to suffer.
Momma never explained what to do when a dude passed off lame lines aspoetry.
“Reb—” Kaia stared into her eyes, his dreamy gaze holding her captive. “Carry a map with you for unsuspecting guys like me. I’m lost in your eyes. I need direction to find my way down from your moon palace.”
Daddy growledand Grant laughed.
“Fucking emo,” Diesel barked.
CJ sighed.
