Page 62 of Lessons in Cruelty

“So? Did I pass the vibe check, Miss Lee?” Bastian asks in a hush.

“For now,” I murmur, snapping out of my dismal thoughts. I lean back, nodding.

“Sit tight. I’ll be right back.”

It’s not a request. The casual authority in his voice makes me want to both rebel and obey. I choose to obey only because my legs feel too shaky right now.

Anyway, I should be relieved that I’m not pushing my stupidity to a whole new level by going inside with him.

So why do I feel so insulted, then?

He’s barely taken two steps from the car before he stops, hesitates, and walks back to the driver’s side. Ducking his head inside the car, Bastian leans his elbows on the rim of his window as he studies me.

“Feels rude not to invite you in,” he says, flicking his hands.

I swallow.

Don’t do it, Haven. Don’t you fucking dare do it.

“What if I go in there and you have a hundred animal heads on the walls?”

“No animals mounted on the wall, scout’s honor.” Bastian smiles.

Like truly, widely, warmly smiles. That’s when I know I’ve fallen so far down this fucking rabbit hole, the only way I’m getting out is if someone tosses down a ladder.

But apparently those are bad luck, so…

“I do make a mean cocoa,” he says.

…we’re all adults here…

I could murder a cocoa and mount the cup on my car’s dash.

“Marshmallows?” I ask, my voice coming out breathier than intended.

His eyes darken. “I’ll give you whatever you want, Haven. You just have to ask nicely.”

We both turn at the sound of thunder rumbling in the far distance.

Both turn back to each other a second later.

“Zeus has spoken. I’ll be back in a sec.” Bastian leans back, tapping the rim of the window. I watch him until he’s almost at the black slab of his front door.

I throw open my door and yell out the first thing that pops into my head…like a fucking idiot. “I can swallow really fast!”

He stops dead, his back to me.

Fuck.

When he turns, the open hunger in his expression makes my stomach drop.

“That’s an exceptionally cruel thing to say.” His voice carries despite the distance, his mouth quirking into a smug little smile. “Should I be proud that you’re such a quick study?”

Chapter 17

Haven

There are special moments in my life, little vignettes, that I drink in and save like a mental snapshot. So I can savor it later, or wallow a bit. Bastian made it sound like I don’t cling to the past, but he’s wrong.