Page 156 of Midnight Curfew

“Whenever you’re ready.” An explosion goes off in the background. “For someone who never asks for a favor, this must be serious.”

Honestly, I don’t know anything about Liv’s movie other than the occasional street closing to traffic for filming. But while I can say many things about the Jaegers, lazy wouldn’t be one of them. I have no doubt Liv is doing good work.

“I hope so,” I reply. “Talk later.”

“Okay.”

We hang up, and I gather some info from the town’s website and from the film’s social media pages. I’m sure a press packet of sorts would be more in order, but then she’ll know I’m trying to find her distribution. I’d rather not. I’m simply doing this for myself, because I owe her and if this all creates a diversion for that family, that might serve me well, too.

Dallas might think he can fuck me into docility like he probably does everyone else, but my plans are still very much in place. Every time I think I’m softening or find myself wishing he was in bed with me, like I wanted this morning, I remember the sight of someone else’s hands on him.

That summer night so long ago plays behind my eyes like a movie. Him ignoring me all week. Not texting me back. When the weekend rolled around, I stuck to the plan of going over to the Bay to let him chase me home, but I found him with a girl slung over his shoulder instead. A shirtless guy walked with him as they carried her back to his house. I remember watching Dallas grab the guy by his belt and pull him in, his tongue looking like it loved the taste of his mouth.

They disappeared inside, and it was one of many times over the next year that I’d run into him while he was in the midst of landing his next fuck.

There’s almost something enjoyable about the fracturing of your heart from things like that. Intense emotional stimulation triggers adrenaline.

And when something is traumatic, it means we’re about to change.

I’m not yet the person I want to be, but I’m close. Or I was a few weeks ago.

Instead of getting closer, I feel as if I’m farther away. I’d planned on letting him seduce me. I banked on it, in fact. Why shouldn’t I take what I want from him?

I just didn’t expect the interferences. Him joining me in the Wolfe Room. Sophia damn near worshipping him and already getting attached to that family. And me confiding in him about her. I had intended to keep family business private, but I was taken aback by the whole episode. In that moment in his classroom last night, I thought I was facing the one other person who would stand between her and any animal on the planet. Mammal or man.

I keep letting down my guard.

He can’t be trusted, though. Not ever. When it comes down to it, he’ll always choose himself.

Rising, I leave the office and climb the stairs to take a shower. Micah Hearst is serving dinner at six, and I have work to do until then.

23

Dallas

I’m grateful I didn’t need to explain to Macon this morning why we were hosting the sister of the guy trying to take our home. I have no doubt he had a good gripe about it when Krisjen helped get her settled last night—and probably another pout or two when I stayed in St. Carmen and when he heard what I talked Trace into doing—but as soon as I walked in the door this morning, it was laughter and smiles around the breakfast table. It’s impossible to not like Anna-Katherine. She reminds you of everything you miss about yourself before the world got to you.

Drifting past the kitchen window, I loosen my tie and pull it off over my head, watching Iron straddle a deck chair outside with a laptop in front of him. Three women play in the pool, none of them straddling him.

I shake my head and unbutton my shirt before grabbing the Buffalo Trace bottle out of the cabinet and two glasses. Carrying them outside, I squint against the waning sunlight as the early evening wind sweeps through my hair.

No rain today.

No storm, no hurricane. The weather couldn’t be more perfect.

Fuckin’ awesome.

Stopping between the two chaises, I set the glasses down on the round table.

Iron doesn’t even have to look up to know it’s me. “I’m surprised you don’t run out of there as soon as the students leave,” he says.

I unfasten the cap. “Always more work to do.”

“You like it.” His little smile peeks out as he stares at the screen. “Macon knows best, after all.”

Yes, he does. I like my work. I’m in charge in that room, and no one in this family knows more than me in that one place. I may not have a clue about most other things, but my oldest brother knew all too well that if you can’t give people peace, then just give them something to do.

At least it’s not still mowing lawns and cleaning assholes’ pools.