Page 7 of Blood Ties
“Why?” May pouts.
Riley flicks her on the nose. “Because you’re drunk and the pigs will eat you.”
“No!” May makes a face, and then looks at me, wide-eyed. “Would they really?”
I swallow back a rush of unease, a flicker of memory. Flesh disappearing into a dozen slavering mouths. “Pigs will eat anything.” Bones and all.
Both girls look at me, wide-eyed.
“I’ve heard that,” Riley says, before it gets awkward. “That farmers sometimes fall into the pen and get eaten.”
“By the little piggies?” May says, face scrunching. “No...”
“Pigs aren’t little, May. They’re huge. They probably stink, too.”
Thankfully, the conversation moves on from there. I lean back against the couch, watching the rest of them talk.
I keep bracing myself for the inevitable sound of Dad’s footsteps stomping in through the front door, but it doesn’t happen. Soon, with a buzz of alcohol in my veins, I can relax despite my reservations about having people in the house.
Dad won’t be back until tomorrow night, after all. And Knox isn’t in one of his moods, just relaxing with a drink and a joint. Maybe this isn’t the worst idea he’s ever had.
He catches me looking at him and grins. “You having fun, kiddo?”
I pluck at the label on my beer. “Guess so.”
“You guess?” I still wish it was Riley sitting next to me, but May is pretty enough to make me blush, too. “We gotta do better than that after crashing your night! How about we play a game?”
“What kind of game?” I ask, wary.
She chugs the rest of her beer and holds the empty bottle above her head.
“May,” Riley says. “No.”
“Why not?” May slides down the couch to sit on the carpet, setting the bottle in front of her with a mischievous gleam in her eye.
“Spin the Bottle?” Caleb asks. “Really?”
I flush, finally catching on.
“I think our ratio’s a little off for that,” Felix says, with a glance at Riley that I can’t decipher.
“Ooh, so true.” May taps a finger against her lips. “How about... anytime two boys have to kiss, Riley and I will each take off a piece of clothing?”
My face grows even hotter. I glance at Knox, who’s smirking. The other guys exchange a glance. Nobody speaks up against the idea. Then everyone looks at Riley, who freezes under the attention.
“Could we be any more cliche?” she sputters. But then she sighs and scoots down to sit beside May. “Fine.”
I push to my feet. “I’m gonna go...”
“No.” Riley points at me, her attention arresting. “If I have to play, you have to play.”
“What? Why?”
“Because...” She squints at me. I think she might be a little drunk.
“‘Cause she wants a chance to kiss you, Kai,” Knox drawls.
“No!” Now Riley’s the one blushing. “I just... I mean, everyone should have to play!”
