Page 36 of Hate Game

We stop next to Red’s car. Before my cousin can do it, I open the door for Rue.

“For you, I will lock up the shotgun in the safe and head over to the general store for a Taser. Will that make you feel better, ba—” I shut my trap. I almost called her baby.

Red doesn’t miss my near slipup. He gives me a strange look. I stare back and am about to flip him the bird when Rue sets her hand on my arm.

“I hate it when you’re too agreeable. Stop being such a brownnoser, Malice. It’s annoying. Right, Red?”

“Yeah.” He rubs his chin, his gaze shooting from me to Rue. “Yeah, it is. Rue hates it when people are too accommodating. Accommodating people have hidden agendas. What’s yours, cousin? You plan on getting with my girl?”

I shake off Rue’s hand. “She already said she isn’t yours.”

“Never heard those words from her luscious mouth. What she said is, ‘stop with the possessiveness. It’s getting old,’ right Rue?”

“Verbatim. Can we go now, please?” She lowers herself into the seat. “Bye, Malice. Remember, behave.”

I direct my best glower at her. “How much trouble can I get in without you hovering around,Regret?”

She narrows her pretty brown eyes. “I hate you.”

“Hating you too. Stay out of trouble. I cannot afford to lose my babysitter.”

I shut the door. Red peels out of the driveway. I jam my hands in my pockets and study what is left of the second floor of my parents’ house.

Intentional.

On purpose.

Arson.

Damn.

I’m going to wring the bastard’s neck that set fire to my childhood home.

13

RUE

“What the hell is going on between you and Malice?”

“Why are you so angry?” I edge closer to the door.

“Because I was there for the aftermath of what he did to you. Remember how pissed off you were? How long you sulked? Howdevastatedyou were that heliedabout his feelings for you?”

I ignore Red’s tirade.

“What did you tell him about us?” I ask.

He looks at me before returning his attention to the road. He’s gripping the steering wheel so tight that his knuckles are white. I repeat my question.

“I said you’re my girl.”

“What?! When?”

“What do you mean when?”

I never told Red I lost my virginity to Malice. I told him Malice asked me out on a date, having had a crush on me for months. I said yes, and we went out.

Afterward, I showed him the tattoo on the inside of my thigh, a gift from Riley for my sixteenth birthday. Midnight’s good friend, Ty, tatted me. Malice snapped a picture, winning a bet. Imagine how hurt I was when I found out it was his way of winning the chance to date an older girl, one of his teammate’s older cousins.

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