Page 48 of Cloudy With a Chance of Bad Decisions

No.

No.

No.

“I’ve got a free spot in my car.” Alex’s voice was cheery. “Not to worry, my pretty little friend.” I was not his friend, nor was I little. Height-wise. He did have a considerable amount of bulk on me. And probably a few inches in the cock department. But still. Nothing that would constitute him calling me…methat.

I tried to ignore my arousal, but found that impossible. Especially when Alex’s fingers curled around my shoulders, thick and strong, and steady. In a dominating way that made me feel like a melted pile of goo, he steered me away from Lacey’s minivan of death, and marched me across the street to his car.

I didn’t dare say anything biting, worried about causing another scene. The last thing I needed was to embarrass my mom again. Once was enough.

It felt like everyone was watching us.

Maybe because they were.

Juniper was halfway out the front door of Roderick’s house. She paused, not at all subtle when she gave Alex a thumbs up, and then aimed one toward Roderick in the back seat of the van. My mother, who had just strolled onto our porch in a floor-length, bright red, monster of a dress, smiled smugly when she saw who had abducted me.

Saboteurs.

Saboteurs everywhere.

“What did I do to make your sister hate me so much?” I whined under my breath. Alex’s throaty chuckle sent a shiver down my spine.

“I wonder that myself every fucking day.”

Alex drove a black Mercedes. Which did not surprise me in the slightest. The paint was shiny and recently waxed. In comparison, how well-maintained his vehicle was made Lacey’s van look like it’d been pulled right out of a junkyard.

This car was all sleek lines and paint so new it was practically a mirror.

“Do I really have to do this?” I grumbled as one of his hands slid to the nape of my neck. Collared, I had no choice but to stumble—then melt.

“Yep.” Unrepentant as ever, Alex’s voice crackled with heat.

I heard a clicking sound, felt a bit of wind, but was too distracted by the palm holding me steady to do more than breathe.

“In you go,” Alex urged, using his grip on my neck to gently push me down into the passenger seat. Leather. Real leather. The smell tickled my nose. Surreptitiously, I sucked in a deep, greedy lungful. Alex’s car was as ridiculously good-looking as he was.

The thing probably cost the same as a small country, judging by all the dials and buttons it had.

Across the street, my sister, Lacey, eyed us with interest. She was climbinginto the front seat of her minivan with Mavis’s unicorn backpack tucked protectively in her arms. The only member of my family that wasn’t actively torturing me.

Thank god.

Alex opened his door, having crossed behind the vehicle. I mouthedhelpLacey’s way. I even widened my eyes to show how dire the situation was. But she didn’t immediately jump to my rescue. Instead, my no-nonsense, asshole fast-track-to-district-attorney sister’s lips pulled into a smirk. And then she turned to face the garage and completely ignored me.

Traitor.

When Alex slid into his seat I had no choice but to accept my fate. His door shut with a resounding click. I shrank, glaring at him through my lashes—aware that I was well and truly stuck.

He smiled at me.

It was a sweet smile.

Softer than the ones yesterday.

I didn’t trust it one bit.

Not.

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