Page 162 of The Nightmare Before Kissmas
Oh no.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I ask.
“We can talk after all these meetings,” she says. Then cuts a pointed look at my bare chest. “Preferably then you’ll have clothes on.”
I follow her gaze.
To see a bruise-like spot on my right pec and another almost directly above my belly button.
Heat pools low in my stomach and I fight a self-satisfied smirk.
My eyes slide to Hex, who looks up at the ceiling in unrepentant faux-innocence.
“Later,” I growl at him and the corners of his lips pulse upwards.
Turning back, I shift to the edge of the couch. “Love-bites or not—”
“Ew.” Iris’s nose curls.
“—you can talk to me.” I sober. “I know he’s my brother, but you’re—”
“Coal, I will egg you if you don’t leave.” She spreads her fingers and a decorated egg appears in her palm. Daisies on a pink shell.
I narrow my eyes at her. She has the same look on her face that Kris had, that silent, pleadingdo not make me talk about it.
I hold up my hands, surrender. “Fine. But this isn’t over.”
The egg vanishes.
“I swear, I’m okay.” She takes a sip of her coffee and gives a forced smile. “Go. You have a lot of shit to do. You’re a very important person now, Prince Nicholas.”
I hold her gaze. “Not that important.”
She softens. Then glares at Hex. “You’ve made him sappy. Gross.”
“I’ll do my best to turn him cynical again, but no promises.” Hex winks at her and pulls me to my feet. We leave, but the moment we’re in the hall and Iris’s door is shut, I spin on him.
“You know what happened? Did she tell you? What did—”
He pushes up onto his toes and kisses me. “Go talk to your brother.”
“What?” I grip my fingers in the neck of his hoodie. “Wait.”
Back to my room to make out with Hex.
Or to my brother’s room to talk about his heartache.
I grab for my phone.
KRIS
what the fuck happened
KRIS
Nothing
The kitchen’s out of Nutella
