Interestingly irritating.

Brielle

It’s after two when I finally step from the bathroom with my robe wrapped around me, and I’m more than surprised when I find Maybell sitting on the edge of my bed.

I wince. “Did I wake you up? I tried to be quiet.”

She waves me off with a low chuckle. “No, child. I was doing bed checks.” She eyes me. “Couldn’t sleep?”

“No. I tried to call my brother, but I guess he’s busy doing... whatever it is he does, so figured I’d paint my nails and shower while I waited for a call back.” I shrug. “No luck yet.”

A slight frown mars her forehead, but she smiles through it. “I’m sure he’ll call, child.” She looks away, but comes right back and switches gears. “I wanted to thank you.”

I step farther into the room. “For what?”

“I heard you invite my new girl with you tonight.”

“I thought I was the new girl?” I tease.

She chuckles. “No child, you’re the new... well, never mind.” She winks. “Valine came a few weeks ago and she’s a tough one.”

“Yeah, I kind of got that when instead of a yes or a no, I got a ‘F you’.”

Maybell smiles. “But baby steps are better than no steps at all, hm?”

I nod.

“The others, they don’t quite understand her,” she shares.

“Trying to understand is the problem.” I chuckle and she joins in. “People don’t like being asked questions, I figured that out a long time ago, so you kind of have to just... hang out, talk about nothing. Not that I know much about that anymore, but it worked when I was a kid.” I shrug. “Sometimes all they need is someone to stare at the sand with.”

“That’s exactly right.” She nods, a soft searching in her eyes that stirs something inside me. “I think you’ll do well here.”

I try to force my smile away, but she catches it and a low laugh leaves her as she stands and moves toward the door only to pause there and turn back. “I think a stray might have come through your window tonight.”

My confusion must be evident as she motions toward something shiny sitting beneath the windowsill.

I look from it to her.

She raises a dark brow. “The thing does lock, if you ever decide you might want it to.”

My neck warms and I nod. “Got it.”

She chuckles. “I guess I should tell you that it won’t stop the boy if you did, he’d just come right through the door and cause a stir.”

I laugh, not at all doubting her words.

With a wink, she walks out, closing my door behind her, and I waste no time moving toward the window.

I lift the small bag and lower it into the seat it was placed on.

I look outside, into the night, and almost swear I see a Royce-size silhouette deep inside the orchards, but I can’t say for sure.

I peek inside the bag and a quick laugh breaks from me.

A piece of freaking cake.

I search the darkness once more, and what do you know... the silhouette is gone.

This cake’s about to be, too.

Chapter 16

Royce

She’s watering the tomato plants when I sneak up behind her, pinching her by the hips.

She whips around with a light yelp, the hose pointed right at my damn chest.

“Fuck!” I jump back.

Brielle’s eyes widen. “Oh my god, I...” She trails off, but then her shoulders start to shake, and she can no longer hold it in.

She laughs loudly, bending back a bit and everything, one hand coming up to cover her mouth while the other lifts, spraying me with the fuckin’ hose again on accident and the girl only rolls harder.

I’m already soaked when I dash forward to grab the shit from her hand and toss it to the ground, but she keeps laughing.

“Sorry,” she chokes back her amusement, clearing her throat as she stands as tall as Mighty Mouse is able. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m fuckin’ drenched.”

“My bad.” She smiles. “At least it’s only water.”

“Oh, only water.” I raise a brow, bending to grab the thing.

I expect her to run, warn me, or at least say something about how her makeup and hair is done and not to ruin it—it is, but she doesn’t.

Brielle smiles. “Go for it, rain man. It’s hot out here.”

I frown, throwing the thing back to the ground. “What’s the point if it doesn’t piss you off?”

“Maybe it’s reverse psychology.”

“Maybe not.”

She laughs, walking closer. “Yeah, maybe not.”

I glance around, spotting a few of the other girls on the opposite side of the yard pulling weeds. “You don’t have to do house chores, so why are you?”

“To keep it equal.”

I frown. “It’s not equal, I told you that.”

“It’s fine, it’ll help keep the peace in the house.” She shrugs.

“Playing the noblewoman card, huh?”

“Oh yeah.” She rolls her eyes playfully. “Next up, betrothing a prince.”

I scoff, and when she bends down, picking up two small pieces of garbage, I lean over her to turn off the hose.

“Nah, a prince wouldn’t do the trick.”

She pushes back to her feet, smiling at her hands as she tugs the gardening gloves off. “Oh, you don’t think so?”

“I know so.”

She smirks. “Do tell.”

“A prince chases power, but has no command of his own, forever waiting for his time to lead. Too blameless to be brutal, too decent to be a dick. He’s weak until he’s forced to make a real move. Good-hearted ‘cause he’s never been in the dark.”

She frowns. “You don’t think I’d be enough?”

I reach forward, flicking her hair and her eyes come up to mine.

“Tell me, little Bishop, what’s a prince who’s never even seen the dark... gonna do with a girl who lived it most her life?”

She opens her mouth, but closes it, a look in her eye I don’t recognize. “You think I need more,” she says quietly.

A bridled warning blares in my brain, forcing me a step back. “You’re putting words in my mouth. Don’t.”

The soft gleam in her gaze is still way too present, but she goes for playful. “Well come on then, Mr. Miyagi, break it down for me. Don’t hold back, remember?”

“You know the sayin’, Tink. Do as I say, never as I do.”

“What an easy out,” she muses with a smile. After a second, she clears her throat. “So, I’m almost done for the day. Me and Micah were thinking about checking things out, finding a waterhole or something somewhere. Want to come?”

Annoyance slams over me, erasing the last few minutes.

“Do I want to come with you and Micah?”

Her eyes tighten, but she nods.

I lick my suddenly dry lips, gripping my shirt near my chest and pulling the wet material away from my skin. “When’d you plan this?”

“On the ride home last night,” she tells me, glancing over her shoulder quickly as she drops the soiled gloves in a garbage bag.