Page 91 of The Plan

She grabs a few things from her bag in the living room and then heads to the bathroom. My trunks are dry, so I lay on the couch and scroll through my phone as I wait for her to get out.

About an hour later, she walks into the living room in an oversized black T-shirt and her wet curls behind her shoulder. “Sorry, I took so long. I—”

“It’s fine.”

She lightly smiles, shaking her head. I keep my eyes on her as she walks toward the kitchen and says, “Can I—”

“I already told you to stop asking. You can have whatever you want.”

She nods once, then makes herself a bowl of cereal, saying she’ll buy me more, but we both know I’m not going to let her do that. I leave to take a shower, and when I walk into the bathroom, I smile at the scent of her still lingering in the midst of her hot shower.It’s not weird… She smells really good.

When I walk back into the living room after my shower, she’s watchingPrison Breakon the couch. A smile grows on my face, and I take a seat next to her.

I start moving my arms a bit at the discomfort, and she turns to me. “Does it hurt?”

“No, it just feels weird, like when you can’t crack your knuckles.” I extend my arms again with a bit more force, trying to pop it, but she stops me.

“Stop doing that. Here.” She holds her hand out to me, so I turn and give her my arm. I let her move it around and do some weird massages as I stare at her, trying to memorize her features.

I’ll never get used to how beautiful she is. Her skin is glowing a golden brown. Her complexion matches my caramel one, but we’re both a lot darker from all the sun we got today. My eyes travel her face and land on the beauty mark on her nostril.

I’m tempted to kiss it, but she’d probably punch me in the face. If the amount of beauty marks you have actually determines one's beauty, then she needs a lot more because she’s gorgeous, and one isn’t enough.

“What?” I zone back in and just shake my head in response.

“Nothing.”

“Then why are you staring?”Because I still love you.

“I just realized how ugly you actually are.”You’re still the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen, and I’m still in love with you, always have been.

“Screw you.” She smiles and pushes my arm back to me. I lightly laugh it off but give my arm back to her because I want to feel her touch again.

She takes it and goes back to what she was doing. “You should have listened to me.” Her eyes meet mine, and I know she’s talking about the day I injured my arm.

“I know, Vidia. If I could go back, I would, and I’d do a lot different.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Sire

Hello, Isa’s annoying ass dad.”Jackson gives me a confused look through the phone.

“Is that what you have me stored as?”

I nod while walking to the kitchen so I don’t wake up Vid. “It suits you, but speaking of the superior one of the two of you, put her on the phone.”

“She’s taking a nap. Listen, this is important.” It probably isn’t that important, but I listen anyway. “I need to go take care of something this weekend, but I have no one to watch Belle. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important, but can you please do me this favor and—”

I cut him off because he’s rambling and taking too long to ask. “Yes, I’ll watch her, Jackson. Why are you making it seem like it would’ve been an issue to ask me?” I literally “kidnap” her from school all the time; of course I’ll watch her for a weekend.

“I don’t know, you’ve never stayed with her overnight. She actually hasn’t stayed with anyone besides my mom overnight, plus V is staying with you so—”

“Vid won’t mind. Are you dropping her off, or am I picking her up?” I watch him through the Facetime call as he gets out of his car.

“We’re actually already downstairs. Buzz me in.”

After a few short minutes, he walks in with a sleeping Isa in his arms. One of her eyes twitch, and I can tell she’s faking it so she can be carried. Little brat. I don’t rat her out, and Jackson lays her on the couch with Vid napping on the other end.

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