the past five minutes.”
I grin at Marcus. “I like mixing my food, of course. Look how mixed it is!”
“You do not!”
“It’s a new thing I’m trying out.”
“More for me,” Aria says as she spoons rice into her mouth.
Claude is too busy staring at his phone to notice. “I need some advice. I know I seem like Cupid or Eros, but this Karsyn guy is just… so difficult. Do you think he’s playing hard to get?” he asks before handing the phone to me.
Claude: How about this weekend for our lovely date where I will serenade you until ecstasy is flowing through your veins.
Karsyn: What about doing ceramics? That could be fun! How tall are you?
Claude: Sounds amazing! Six sexy feet of desire.
Karsyn: Awesome! Google seems to think that six feet might be a bit tall to fit in a kiln, but I think if I bend you a little bit, you’ll fit! I can’t wait!
I start laughing before reading it to everyone at the table who also enjoys a good laugh. “Yes, Claude, I definitely think Alexei’s playing hard to get… or maybe he wants to murder you.”
“But why?” Claude asks. “I am displeased by this. And why am I not allowed to call him Alexei?”
“I’m not either,” Marcus says. “I accidentally said it the other day and he looked at me in pure disgust.”
“Why does he only love you?” Claude asks me.
I beam at him before waving at my body. “I’m just loveable. That’s all there is to it.”
Aria snorts. “Uh-huh.”
“Oh, shut up. You tried eating me through half our childhood! You don’t get a say in anything!”
Aria looks at me like I’m being dramatic. “I nibbled on you occasionally. A tiny nibble.”
“Finn would come running into my room yelling ‘Aria’s trying to eat me!’” Orin says like this is a fond memory.
“Marcus, I was thinking about running away for a bit. Would you like to join me?”
“Like away from everyone at this table?”
“Yes,” I say.
“I would love to. Where would you like to go?” Marcus asks.
“I can’t say out loud or they’ll hear and they’ll find us,” I say with a teasing tone.
He snickers. “Understandable.”
The rest don’t seem to think so as they glare at us. “What if we make our own little group here and we’ll not include either of you, ever,” Aria says.
“Where’s your boyfriend, Aria?” I ask curiously.
“Well, after Marcus talked Dad into taking him to a vampire-only establishment, he’s a bit skittish. He didn’t seem to like the jokes of people eating him like you did,” Aria says.
I grin as Marcus quietly eats his food, like he’s not a part of this at all. Definitely not his fault he terrified the man even more. “That’s extremely sexy,” I say.
“What is?”
“How evil Marcus is,” I tease. “Ooh! Marcus, Orin has a lake house out in the middle of nowhere we could go to!”
“No,” Orin says. “It’s not safe. You need to stay here and be safe.”
I don’t know what snaps in me at that moment, but I think it’s my breaking point because I shove my plate back. “Of course I can’t fucking go anywhere. I can’t even take a piss without one of you following me. What’s it fucking matter?” I ask. “He follows me every fucking where I go. So you know he’ll be right there watching us whether we’re here or at a fucking lake house or anywhere. I’m sick of this shit. I’m going and none of you can stop me. I’m leaving right now, in fact! Right this fucking instant.” I rush for the stairs before people even seem to fully comprehend what happened. I’m more than positive I’m being like a five-year-old having a tantrum at this point, but I’m not allowed to do anything and it’s driving me crazy. Every step I take there are eyes on me, waiting for me to fall. Waiting to scoop me back up and drag me back to my bedroom.
The dogs, unsure why I’m currently raging my way up the stairs, prance and trot around as I head to my room. It’s just like I’m surrounded by the most suffocating people alive. I know they’re trying to help, and I know they all love me and they’re only doing this because they do love me, but I’m so tired. I just want everything normal again, or as normal as it can be.
Marcus is constantly on edge and I know he’s beating himself up over being unable to protect me. But there’s this