“He’s not going to come over here, right?” I whispered to Dee, who suddenly looked very amused.
“Hello, sis.”
I sucked in a deep breath at the sound of his husky voice. I slid my bandaged arm under the table. I was positive if he saw it, it would remind him of how inconveniencing I’d been.
“Hey there,” Dee said as she rested her chin on her hand. “What are you doing here today?”
“I’m hungry,” he responded dryly. “This is where people come to eat, isn’t it?”
I stared very intently at my half-eaten burger and fries, moving them around on my plate, praying to whoever was listening that I could fade into the rustic-colored booths until he left. I forced myself to think about anything—books, television shows, movies, Daemon, the grass outside—
“That is, except you, who must come here to play with her food?”
Aw, dammit. I plastered the brightest smile I could muster and steeled myself. My smile faltered the instant I met his eyes. He looked at me expectantly, as if he knew what I was really thinking, wanted me to fight back. “Yeah, see my mom normally takes me out to Chuck E. Cheese’s for dinner so I’m a little out of my element. Missing the ball pen and all.” Dee snorted and looked up at her brother. “Isn’t she great?”
“Just lovely.” He crossed his arms, his tone as dry as ever. “How’s your arm?”
His question took me off guard. My arm actually felt fine. I wanted the splint off, but my mom refused to let me even shower without it. “It’s better. It’s okay. Thank you—”
“Don’t,” he cut me off, running a hand through a mess of black waves. “Your face looks a lot better, by the way.”
I subconsciously placed a hand on my cheek. “Well…thanks, I think.” I looked at Dee with disbelief and mouthed the words my face to her.
She exchanged an amused look with me before turning back to her brother. “Are you going to join us? We were just about finished.”
It was Daemon’s turn to snort. “No, thank you.”
I returned to poking my food around on my plate. As if the idea of eating with us was the most absurd thing.
“Well, that’s too bad.” Dee didn’t miss a beat.
“Daemon, you’re here already!”
I glanced up at the sound of a very excited female. A small, pretty blonde waved from the main entrance. Daemon waved back, not as joyously, and I watched as she practically bounced over to our table. When she reached Daemon she stretched up and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek before wrapping a possessive arm around his.
An ugly, hot feeling unfurled in my belly. He had a girlfriend? I glanced at Dee. His sister didn’t look happy.
The girl finally looked down at our table. “Hey, Dee, how are you doing?”
Dee returned her smile with a very tight one. “Great Ash, how have you been?”
“I’ve been really good.” She nudged Daemon as if that was a private joke between the two of them.
I couldn’t breathe.
“I thought you were leaving again?” Dee asked, her usually warm eyes turning sharp. “With your brothers and coming back when school starts?”
“Changed my mind.” She glanced up at Daemon again, who was beginning to shift uncomfortably.
“Hmm, interesting,” Dee responded, her expression taking on a very catlike quality. “Oh, how rude of me. Ash, this is Katy.” She gestured over at me. “She’s new to our exciting little town.”
I forced myself to smile at the girl. I had no reason to be jealous or to care, but damn, this girl was pretty.
Ash’s smile faded. She took a step back. “This is her?”
My eyes darted to Dee.
“I can’t do this, Daemon. Maybe you guys can be okay with this, but I’m not.” Ash tossed her blonde hair back with a tan hand. “This is wrong.”
Daemon sighed. “Ash…”
Her full lips thinned. “No.”
“Ash, you don’t even know her.” Dee came to her feet. “You’re being ridiculous.”
The traffic in the diner literally stopped. Everyone stared.
I felt heat, a mixture of embarrassment and anger, creep across my face as I stared at Ash. “I’m sorry, but did I do something?”
Ash’s extraordinarily bright blue eyes fixed on me. “Yeah, how about breathing, for starters?”
“Excuse me?” I said.
“You heard me,” Ash snapped. Then she turned to Daemon. “Is this why everything is going to shit in a handbasket? Why my brothers are running around the country—”
“That’s enough.” Daemon grabbed Ash’s arm. “There’s a McDonald’s down the street. We’ll get you a Happy Meal. Maybe that’ll make you happier.”
“What’s going to shit?” I demanded. The urge to get up and rip out her hair was hard to ignore.
Ash’s glare burned into me like twin lasers. “Everything is going to shit.”
“Well, this was fun.” Daemon cocked a brow at his sister. “I’ll see you at home.”
I watched them leave, boiling with anger. But under that anger was also hurt.
Dee plopped back in the seat. “Oh, my God, I’m sorry. She’s a complete bitch.”
I looked at her as my hands shook. “Why did she say those things to me?”
“I don’t know. She might be jealous.” Dee toyed with her straw, not meeting my eyes. “Ash has a thing for Daemon, always had. They used to date.”