Page 125 of Ice Me Out

“My bad,” she mumbled, rocking on her heels.

I returned my attention to ArKane. “At the end of the day, we’re gonna wake up in the morning and hash it out like adults because that’s what two people who care about each other do. Deep down, I know she’s just teasing and trying to get under my skin—”

“It’s working,” ArKane interrupted.

I ignored him and pressed on. “I’m building something here, and I won’t let you, or anyone else for that matter, tear those walls down. You feel me?”

“Bro… I think I just got goosebumps. Consider me convinced,” ArKane said cheerfully. “I mean, seriously, you had me at greasy foods,” he… she… said, voice getting lighter.

Hold on…

Before I could process the voice change, ArKane hooked fingers beneath the mask and pulled it free.

Everything stopped because ArKane wasn’t a man. In fact, she was a very attractive woman. A very attractive light-skinned woman, who shared some resemblance to Vera.

Suddenly, I was tugged into a bear hug and nearly lifted off my fucking feet. ArKane pulled back and patted my shoulders.

What the fuck is going on?

“It’s nice to meet you, Hart. I’m Kandace, Vera’s younger cousin.”

My mouth dropped slightly.

Cousin?

Vera

Kandace grinned like an idiot while watching Hart process.

“Cousin,” he repeated for the third time.

“Favorite cousin,” Kandace added.

That was debatable, but correcting her would’ve led to her throwing a fit and making my life hell. And I was too drunk to deal with her antics.

Hart turned to me. “How come you never mentioned you had a famous cousin?”

“Famous?” Kandace said with a curious head tilt. “That’s pretty generous when it comes to famous family members. I’m—”

She stopped abruptly when she noticed me subtly slice my neck with my fingers. Hart hadn’t caught it.

“Can I talk to you for a moment, Verydian?” Kandace asked, nodding somewhere in the distance. Hart glanced between us suspiciously. Kandace flashed him with a bright smile before hustling me off.

“You’ve got to be shitting me, V,” she hissed once we were a safe distance away.

“Look. I know what you’re about to say, but I haven’t had the chance to tell him yet.”

Kandace groaned and clutched her curls. “Vera, be fucking for real. This isn’t something that just slips your mind!”

“Lower your voice!”

Kandace paused, closed her eyes, and exhaled deeply before asking, “What does he know?”

“He knows Snoh.”

“That’s it?”

“Well, apparently, he and Snoh have history.”