Page 26 of Shadows of Nightshade
“Who?” I huffed.
“Someone very important to me.” Damen looked past me, to the roaring fireplace. “He was my best friend. But I haven’t seen him in a lifetime, so maybe I’m just going crazy.”
My pulse began to race as a ringing began to echo in the back of my thoughts.
“It doesn’t matter,” he continued. “Back to the present—how did you say you and Finn first met?”
“I didn’t.” I pursed my lips. It was definitely way too soon to come clean about that topic.
“School?” he asked, pressing forward.
“Yeah,” I nodded. “S-school.”
The silence consumed the room before he finally conceded.
“I get it,” he sighed. “Listen, I don’t care about your relationship with my brother.”
I knew he was lying, but something in my stomach began to stir as he reached for me.
“I know this is probably unheard of, but I need to ask…” Why did he sound nervous? There was a hitch in his voice that stirred through my subconsciousness and caused the hair on my arms to stand straight. “Do you think we can be friends too?”
What?
My breath caught as I stared at his calloused hands.
Why?
Damen Abernathy—my best friend’s brother and his otherworldly weirdness—wanted to be my friend? It didn’t make sense. But I couldn’t deny that there was a connection betweenus, something growing in my chest that warmed my skin and made my heart flutter when I looked at him.
It was something old, familiar. A pull that was impossible to ignore.
I reached for him, touching my fingertips to his palm. This was entirely out of character for me, but I couldn’t refuse. I was nervous, yet there was a thrumming in my chest that just felt right.
At this moment, my heart felt full.
“Okay,” I agreed.
8
“That’s settled then.”Damen smiled, and the moment shattered. He sat back with a confident, busy air as he flicked lint from his sleeve. “Then we’ll get started tonight. We’ll be there together, of course—all of us. But it will work out, as you don’t seem to be overly affected. So we can get right to it. I’ll ask Julian to pick up Chinese food to save time.”
This was all happening so fast.
He raised an eyebrow. “You don’t like Chinese? That’s a shame. I’ve been craving some moo goo gai pan. Well, pizza is fine too, I suppose.”
What in the world was he talking about? I blinked at him, stunned. “But—”
“But we’re friends now, or did you change your mind already?” He seemed genuinely worried.
I didwant to be friends. I shook my head.
“Well, friends don’t let friends be haunted by vengeful spirits.” He flashed me a triumphant grin.
I’d raised my finger, even though I had no idea why. I didn’tknow what to say. I’d wanted help, but this… I was pretty sure I’d been outmaneuvered in some way.
“So, baby girl—” Damen sounded so smug.
I squirmed under the weight of his attention. What did he want? Plus, he was still using that terrible nickname. If I was going to be his friend, I didn’t think it was appropriate for him to be calling me ‘baby girl.’
