… I want to be able to handle it. I just … I barely have any clue what I’m doing,” Arrow says with a heavy sigh.
“None of us really do. However, I really do believe that if anyone can handle this, it’s us. We’ve all been through a lot of shit in our lives, and I think, if we can make this work, it could be worth it—all that shit we’ve been through to get to this point in our lives.”
“Maybe,” Arrow mumbles.
They grow quiet after that, and I think they may have wandered out into the living room. I know I should get up and follow so we can get this show on the road, but I keep replaying what they said. They’d been so vague that I’m not even positive what they were talking about. But every word they uttered seemed to center around something that Maxton told them about me.
And with everything Maxton knows about me, it has me worried. Really, really worried.
Harlynn
It takes me a minute to talk myself into leaving the room, but eventually, I work up the lady balls to do it. When I enter the living room, all the guys are there, drinking some sort of lavender liquid from crystal glasses and talking about something called an energy reader. And all of them are bundled up in more clothes than I’ve ever seen them wear.
Asher is sporting a leather jacket over a hooded one, gloves, black pants, and studded boots. East has on a button-down coat, thick boots, grey pants decorated with chains, and a knitted cap is on his head, wisps of his blond hair hanging out of it and falling into his eyes. Arrow has on the same outfit I saw him in earlier; only, he’s added a black pocketed coat over it. And Maxton is wearing all black from his unlaced boots to a hoodie. His black hair is also damp like he just got out of the shower.
Seeing all of them bundled up makes it evident how un-bundled up I am. Arrow had mentioned something about me wearing a coat over my outfit, but then he never picked one out. I guess I could always pick one out for myself. I mean, I used to be competent enough to pick out my own outfits, but I kind of like when he picks out my stuff.
Stop being so ridiculous and just go pick out your own coat, Harlynn.
Rolling my eyes at my own dumbassness, I turn around to do just that. The movement captures all of their attention, and their gazes drift to me.
As soon as Asher sees me—well, the outfit I’m wearing—his brows rise. “What the hell are you wearing, little thief? You’re going to freeze to fucking death.”
“Hey, I was just about to go put on a coat,” I protest. “I just forgot to before I walked out here.”
He rubs his lips together, his smoky gaze flicking up and down my body. “Arrow picked that outfit out for you?”
I nod, glancing at Arrow, who is busying himself with pouring a drink. “Yeah.” I return my gaze to Asher. “Why?”
“It’s nothing.” Asher glances at Arrow, his gaze burrowing a hole into him. “I’m just starting to wonder if our drummer might have a thing for you in corsets.”
Arrow massages the back of his neck then turns to Asher with a drink in his hand. “I like the way she looks right now,” he says, glancing at me then focusing on his drink.
“I’m sure you do,” Asher tells him. “She always looks lovely, right?”
I’m not certain what’s happening, but something definitely is. I’d be worried, except East looks positively amused by the entire exchange, his lips curled into a grin. Even Maxton has a hint of a smile on his face. Asher’s expression, though, is unreadable. And so is Arrow’s. Well, that is until he lifts his gaze from his drink and fixes his attention on Asher, carrying his gaze.
“Yeah, she does,” he replies with a hint of a challenge in his eyes.
Asher cocks a brow in response, the edges of his pale blue lips tugging upward.
The room goes so quiet you could hear a speck of pixie dust drop.
“Um … what in the faeries is going on?” I break the silence. “Why are you all acting like twitchy troll babies?”
Asher’s gaze skates to me. “Troll babies aren’t twitchy, little thief. They’re blobby lumps that barely move at all.”
“Seems like my statement’s pretty accurate, then,” I quip with a haughty