Текст книги "The Taming of the Billionaire"

Автор книги: Jessica Clare

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Текущая страница: 15 (всего у книги 16 страниц)

She giggled. “That’s too many cats for one apartment.”

“I’ll buy them an apartment,” he said, kissing along her jaw, to her ear. “Whatever. Just come back to me.”

She sobered. “Promise you’ll never hurt me again?”

His hands fisted in her hair, holding her close. “I can’t promise you that,” he murmured. “Because I’ll always do something boneheaded, I imagine. But I won’t hold something like that from you again.” When she hesitated, he licked her earlobe, sending shivers down her spine. “I can’t make it better for you, baby. I can’t change the past. But . . . I can show you the kind of future we can have together, if you’ll let me.”

He was asking her to trust. To take a chance on him. Edie looked up into Magnus’s face, at the blunt features that didn’t seem special until he smiled, and his whole face lit up. At the beautiful eyes framed by thick lashes. She thought of his humor, his cleverness, his determination. The way he held her at night. The way he thought of her knee without ever making her feel like an invalid . . . like Bianca did.

He was nothing like Bianca, she realized.

She put her hand in his. “Take me home?”

“Only if you promise to stay there.”

Edie chuckled. “I’m going to have to go pick up my cats from Gretchen’s in time for their meds.”

“You’ll be mine until then?” His arm went around her waist, pressing her body against his.

“Until then,” she agreed. “And then the hours after that. And the days after that. And the months . . .”

“Sounds like I’m going to be getting a lot of pussy.”

She smacked his arm.

He just grinned at her. “And I think this means we need a bigger place if we’re going to have that many cats. Something in the city okay, so you can help me manage my chain of cat cafés?”

“City’s fine.” Her fingers trailed down his shirt. “Anywhere I’m with you, I’m fine.”

He pulled her in for another intense kiss, his tongue tracing along her lips until she was breathless with need. “I wish we were home right now, so I could bend you over this desk and make you mine again.”

Edie shivered, titillated at the visual. “Can you leave? Or do you have to stay?”

“I think I can manage to escape for a few hours,” he said, his hand sliding up to cup her breast.

“Only a few hours?” She mock pouted.

“Have mercy on a man’s penis, woman,” Magnus teased. “I’m only human.”

“Not according to your game proportions. You forget, I’ve seen your Warrior Shop alter ego.”

“It’s made you quite the lusty wench, has it?”

“First, never say the words ‘lusty wench’ again. Second, the only thing I want is you. Just you. Regular, old Big Magnus.” Her hand slid down to fondle the bulge in his pants. “With his impressive, magnificent Little Magnus.”

He groaned. “Please tell me we’re going home right now for some lusty make-up sex.”

“There’s that ‘lusty’ word again.”

“Tawdry, filthy, nasty make-up sex.”

She nibbled on his jaw. “Better.”

Chapter Nineteen

They managed to escape from the cat café without attracting too much attention. Then, laughing like naughty schoolchildren, they linked hands and took a taxi back to Brooklyn. Edie felt light with happiness, giddy with joy. The way Magnus looked at her took her breath away—a mixture of hunger, desire, and affection. As they sat in the back of the taxi, he took her hand in his and began to play with her fingers, lightly stroking the pads of them.

She felt every movement as if he were dragging his fingertips over her skin. By the time they got to the Park Slope apartment, her breasts were aching, her nipples were erect, and her pulse was thrumming steadily between her thighs. Her entire body was alive with joy and with Magnus’s presence. For the first time in weeks, Edie felt completely, utterly happy.

As soon as they got out of the cab and into the apartment, Magnus cupped her face and began to kiss her mouth again. “I’ve missed you. So much.” His mouth stroked over hers, lips pressing to her own in firm, quick kisses that only whetted the appetite for more. “Feels like it’s been forever since I’ve tasted these pretty lips.”

Edie trembled at his words. She knew just how he felt. Her fingers rubbed along his jaw, feeling the bristle of his unshaven face. “I missed you, too.”

“You sure you’re not here just to peek at my cats and leave?” His thumbs stroked over her cheeks, his tongue flicking over her lips in a sensual kiss. “Because I don’t think I could stand that.”

“Oh, I want to see your cats,” she told him breathlessly. But she didn’t pull away from him. She couldn’t. She wanted to stay in his arms forever.

“I’ll show them to you, on one condition,” he said, then caught her lower lip between his teeth and tugged at it.

Edie had to stifle a moan. “Condition?”

“I get to play with your breasts while you look at them.”

“Seems fair,” she said, dazed at his touch.

“Then follow me,” he said, nipping at her lip. He gave her a mischievous grin and gestured at the apartment.

In a breathless haze, Edie realized they were still in the entryway of the flat, and the entire apartment was different than the last time she’d seen it. New, comfortable, normal furniture decorated the room. There was a comfy couch in front of a TV, a dining room table with four plain chairs, and end tables that were not shaped like objets d’art but like end tables. Framed Warrior Shop posters hung on the walls, and in several corners of the cozy living room, she spotted cat furniture. “You redecorated.”

“I went for livable this time instead of ‘weird but impressive,’” he agreed. “I think I actually prefer it. Go figure.”

“Go figure,” she said with a laugh. “Can I see the bedroom?”

“Of course. I’m guessing that’s where everyone’s hiding. Though sometimes Lady D likes the windowsill in the office because of the sunlight. We can check there first.”

Magnus’s new office was set up in one of the bedrooms facing the back of the flat. A large window looked out on the tiny patio, and sure enough, on a window seat, the fluffy form of Lady D was curled up. She lifted her head as they entered, her nostrils flaring at the scents, but didn’t get up from her perch.

“She looks good,” Edie said, not moving forward toward the blind cat. She didn’t want to startle her. “Is Lady C giving her any trouble?”

“Not at all,” Magnus said, moving to stand behind her. His hands went to her breasts and casually cupped them over her clothing, his chin resting on her shoulder. “I think Lady C treats her like another kitten. I catch her grooming D all the time.”

Edie smiled. She looked around the rest of the small office. Between cat furniture and a nearby treadmill, Magnus had a heavy oak desk set up along one wall. Another wall was bare of furniture, and instead, it was covered with world maps of different time periods, pushpins and strings and Post-it notes slapped all over the maps. “Still working on, um, The World?” It was getting harder to concentrate with those big, warm hands just casually cupping her breasts. She wished he’d play with her nipples, but he seemed content to hold her.

“Yeah. I was derailed over the last few weeks by a different project.” He nuzzled her neck, pressing his mouth against her skin. “I missed my original deadline so I rescheduled my pitches for spring of next year.”

“Oh, no.” Guilt flared through her. “Because of me?”

“What if it is?” His thumbs brushed over her nipples at the very moment that his tongue swept over her neck. “So what? All that matters to me is getting you back. The game will always be there. It can wait. Some things are more important than making money.”

Tears blurred her eyes again. Damn it. She was always weeping lately, it seemed. “You think I’m more important?”

“Edie, babe. To me, you are everything.” He nipped at her throat. “My world’s incomplete without you in it.”

He really was the sweetest man. “I love you,” she said around the knot in her throat. “So much.”

“I love you, too. Now come see my other cat. She’s in the bedroom.”

She chuckled. “You just want to get me into bed.”

“Actually, I’m going to take you back to the couch,” he told her, tongue swiping at her throat again. “I’m not about to fuck you with a bunch of cats staring me down. I don’t want an audience.”

Edie giggled. “Really?”

“Really.” He grinned. “So let’s make this quick.”

With his hands still on her breasts, he hauled her into the bedroom. She couldn’t stop laughing, and it felt so damn good to just be wild and free and utterly ridiculous with Magnus. They always had so much fun together. She’d forgotten how much until they’d broken up.

And he’d done so much to win her back. So very much that it made her heart ache with the wonder of it.

Sure enough, Magnus’s bed was stripped of blankets. A corner of one blanket was sticking out from under the bed, and Edie caught sight of a flicking tail.

“You want me to get her out for you, babe? I don’t want you kneeling on the floor with that knee,” Magnus said, squeezing her breasts again.

“No, I’m good,” Edie said, feeling a bit breathless. “I think I want my couch time now.”

“Mmm, that so?”

She turned in his arms and laced her fingers behind his neck, holding him close. “I do.” She leaned in and brushed her mouth against his. “I’m feeling more in the mood for you than for your cats. I can always see them later. I need you now.”

In response, he kissed her again. Soft. Sweet. “I wish I had something better to give you than a shitty sofa. I should have gotten a hotel room. I—”

“A shitty sofa is wonderful,” Edie said, burying her face against his neck. “Because it’s yours and it’s right here. I don’t want to wait to go all the way across town. I want you now.”

He groaned and held her tight. “Fuck, I need you.”

“Then take me.”

Magnus’s mouth captured hers, and this time the kiss wasn’t gentle. His tongue swept against hers, possessive, demanding, and urgent. She moaned against him, entranced by the feel of his lips on her, and barely noticed he was pulling her backward until he shut the bedroom door behind them. Then he was tugging her down the hall, and his hands were pulling at her T-shirt, untucking it from the band of her jeans. “I want you naked, Edie. Naked and laid out for me. I’m going to kiss every inch of your skin and then lick you all over right before I fuck the hell out of you.”

She trembled at his words. “Promises, promises.”

“Not promises,” he murmured. “Truth. Now, get these clothes off. I need those tight little nipples on my tongue.”

She wanted them there, too. Her hands tugged at her shirt, pulling it over her head. Then she was in her bra, and he ran his fingers over the curves of her breasts before moving to her back. He had her bra unsnapped in a matter of moments.

Then she was topless, and his hands went back to her breasts. “I love these, you know.”

She laughed. “How about the rest of me?”

“The rest of you is pretty good, but I love these especially.” His fingers played with her nipples, coaxing them to points. “I love how responsive they are to my touch. How sweet they taste. How heavy they feel in my hands.” He cupped one breast, and then leaned down to kiss the slope of it. “I never considered myself a breast man until I saw these. Then I understood.”

She curled her arms around him as he continued kissing her skin, his hands caressing her breasts. It felt so good to have him touch her. To feel his warmth against her skin. She closed her eyes, relaxing against him.

“I need you completely naked for me, I think,” Magnus said. “I’m going to be selfish and devour you with my mouth for a good while before you get your chance to have your way with me.”

“So selfish,” she murmured. “You cruel man.”

“The cruelest,” he agreed, and flicked his tongue over the tip of one breast. “God. These tits.” He slapped her ass. “I need you on the couch. Now.”

“Sure,” she breathed, and then Edie moved across the room to the new sofa. She sat down on the edge, looking over at him. It felt weird to be sitting in his living room, topless. “I do like the new furniture.”

“I bought it thinking of you,” he told her.

“Oh?”

“Yep,” he said, and sat next to her on the couch. He hauled her into his lap, tugging her thighs over his. “Thinking of eating your pussy while I laid you out on that table over there in the dining room.” His tongue flicked against her lips. “Thinking about sitting here on the couch with your ass on me and my cock buried deep inside you, you riding me.”

She trembled. “And the coffee table?”

He thought for a moment. “Naked sushi?”

Edie shook her head. “Hard pass on that.”

“Guess we’ll just have to save the coffee table for more pussy-eating, then.” His mouth captured hers. “Or you can sit on the edge of the coffee table while I feed my cock into your mouth.” Magnus’s tongue flicked against hers. “Yeah, I think I like that.”

Edie moaned. Even the visuals were arousing. “I think I like that, too.”

He kissed her again, and his mouth devoured hers, tongue sweeping into her mouth. He held her cradled against him with one arm, his free hand cupping and kneading her breast until she was whimpering against his mouth. When she whimpered, he groaned. “No one sounds sexier than you when you’re being pleasured, you know.”

“No?” Her voice sounded breathless, even to her own ears.

“Nope. Those fucking sexy little whimpers, like it’s too much for you to handle?” He cupped her breast, brought the tip to his mouth again, and licked it hard. “Makes my cock ache every time I hear them.” His tongue flicked against her nipple. “Like everything I do to you is going to make you come, and come hard. I love that.”

It wasn’t far off from the truth. Magnus seemed to know just how to touch her to drive her completely and utterly wild with need. Even now, she had a hand over his shoulder, bracing herself as he nibbled on her breast, and she could feel an ache building between her thighs. If she pressed them together, she could feel the folds of her sex sliding, wet with lubrication. She was soaked with need . . . and she still had her damn jeans on.

“Magnus,” she whispered. “Help me take my pants off? I want to be naked for you.”

“Fuck, I want that, too,” he murmured against her mouth. “Want to bury my fingers in that sweet pussy of yours. I want to fuck you with my hand and feel you coming around me, all tight and wet.” When she whimpered, he chuckled. “There’s that sexy little sound again.”

“I can’t help it.” Just the visuals from his dirty talk were enough to drive her insane.

“I don’t want you to help it,” he told her, his hand moving to the button of her jeans. “I want to make you fucking wild so when you come around me, you’re screaming my name.”

Yeah, that sounded pretty damn good to her, too. Edie’s fingers fumbled with her zipper, and then it was down and he grabbed the waist of her pants, shoving at them.

She thought he was going to push her pants off, but to her surprise, he slipped his fingers into the waistband of her panties and pressed them against her sex, seeking out the wet folds. Her fingers clung to his shirt as he found her clit and began to rub it with the pad of one finger. This time, she didn’t care if she whimpered. Magnus continued to whisper words of encouragement at her as he kissed her mouth, sliding his fingers over her clit over and over again, making her buck in his lap.

“Look at how wet you are, baby,” he told her, and when he pulled his hand free, she made a sound of protest. He showed her the fingers he’d pulled from her panties, gleaming with her own juices. “Look at all this. It’s making my mouth water, because I know how good you taste.”

And he licked his fingers.

She moaned, because the sight of him licking her juices from his fingers made her want his tongue on other parts of her body, too. Then, he leaned in and kissed her again, even as he thrust his hand back into her panties. Then he was rubbing against her clit again, and all the while he tongued her mouth, his lips tasting of her musk.

Edie fisted his shirt in her hands, and her hips raised to meet the rub of his fingers. She was so close to coming already that she began to whimper again. And when he told her, That’s right, baby, come for me, she did, shattering with a small orgasm that felt incredible and left her trembling against his chest.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said, pressing another hard, quick kiss to her mouth as he pulled his hand free from her panties. “I love the look on your face when you come. You look so startled.”

Edie blinked at that. “Say what?”

Magnus just grinned. “It’s true. You have this awestruck look on your face every time you come, as if you weren’t expecting all that pleasure. I fucking adore it.” He patted her hip. “And I want to see it again, so take these pants off now.”

She wiggled out of his lap and got to her feet, noticing that his cock was erect under his jeans, the bulge of him impressive. She shimmied out of her jeans and panties both, sending them to the floor. Her sex felt slick, her pulse throbbing hard with the aftermath of her orgasm, and she still felt full of anticipation . . . because Magnus wasn’t going to let her go until she came again, and came harder. He was nothing if not an overachiever.

And damn, she loved that about the man.

Just thinking about that made her flush with warmth, and she turned and looked at him, seated on the couch. His eyes were sleepy with arousal, and she wanted to climb all over him, rub her naked body against him. This time, she wanted to turn him on and make him wild, instead of the other way around.

Seemed like a pretty good idea to Edie.

She straddled him on the couch, sliding a thigh over each of his, her knees against his hips. She was careful to keep her weight off of her bad knee, though she could tell from the way his body tensed against her that he was thinking about it, too. “I’m fine,” she told him, and pressed her breasts against his chest. She liked this position, because this way she could see his wonderful, gorgeous face with its blunt features and sinful eyes. She could rub her hand through his hair, and she could press her breasts against him . . . and rock her pussy against the bulge of his cock. Her body was draped all over him like a blanket.

And it felt incredible.

Magnus groaned, his eyes closing. She felt his hands go to her hips, and then he pushed her down harder, against the denim bulge of his erection. “You feel so damn good,” he told her. “Is this going to hurt your leg—”

“I don’t have any weight on it,” she told him. “I’m okay. I promise.” She leaned in and ran her tongue along the edge of his jaw. “And I like this.”

“Fuck, you’re not the only one.” He ground his hips against hers, his cock prodding against her core. “Ah, fuck. Now I wish I was naked, too. Look at how sweet this body is.” His hand skimmed down her back, then clenched on one buttock. “I can’t wait to take you from behind, you know. I’d love to see this ass bouncing while I fuck you.”

It sounded pretty good to her, too. She circled her hips on him, pressing down against his cock, and then her hands went to his shirt. He needed to take off his shirt, because she wanted to feel his bare chest against hers. He got the hint when she tugged at his clothing, and through a tangle of limbs, they managed to pull his shirt off, and then the wife-beater tank he was wearing under it. Then it was nothing but Magnus’s smooth chest in front of her, and she slid her hands over the hard planes of his chest. Magnus had told her before that he liked to work out when he was frustrated with his gaming, and it looked as if he’d been working out more than usual. He was firm everywhere, his pectorals hard, his stomach taut. God, she was lucky. Her finger dipped into his belly button and she felt his skin twitch.

“Push those tits against me again, Edie,” he told her. “I like the feel of you on my lap.”

She did, and his hands went back to her ass, grinding her against his cock. Her breasts skimmed against his chest, her nipples hard. Oh, he felt so good to rub against. She made little noises of pleasure in her throat, kissing him as she moved up and down on his denim-covered cock, her breasts moving against his chest, his tongue playing with hers. God, she felt as if she could come again.

“So beautiful,” he murmured against her mouth. “My beautiful, sweet Edie.”

She dragged her fingernails down his chest lightly, scraping at his skin, and was rewarded with a new groan from him. “I want you naked, Magnus. I need you inside me. Deep.” Her tongue flicked against his. “Hard. Fucking me.”

His green-gold eyes flared with need, and his hand went to her hair, capturing her against him. He thrust hard up against her sex, until she was gasping at the feel of him. “Like that, baby?”

“Just like that,” she breathed, incredibly aroused. She rubbed against his chest, whimpering when his nipples scraped her own. “Oh Magnus. I need you so bad.”

“Want me to fling you down on this couch and fuck you until you’re screaming, now?” His lips moved over her jaw, her neck, kissing her everywhere. “Want me to fill that sweet, empty pussy of yours with my cock?”

Her entire body shivered, and oh god, she did feel so empty. “Yes,” she said, suddenly frantic for him. “Please. I need you.”

“Then let me get a condom, love,” he murmured, kissing her mouth again. “Then I’m going to take you so damn hard. You’d love that, wouldn’t you?”

She nodded, dazed at the mental images his words put in her mind. God, she wanted him. She wanted him to take over, to push himself into her and make her come, and come, and come . . .

Magnus patted her ass. “Up for me, love.”

She slid off of his lap, hating how cold and bereft she felt without him. Edie watched him as he stood up, and blushed, scandalized at the sight of the wet spot over the straining crotch of his jeans. That was all her, wasn’t it? He made her so wet and so needy that she didn’t care. She was completely free in his arms.

It was rather exhilarating, really.

Her mouth watered when he dropped his pants, freeing his cock. She loved looking at him, loved the proud thrust of his cock, thick and veined and the head heavy and wet with pre-cum. She couldn’t stop staring as he pulled a condom packet from his wallet, opened it, and slowly rolled it down his length, until he was sheathed in the thin membrane. Every movement he made just seemed to make her ache even more inside.

He looked up and saw her watching him, and she watched his eyes flare with need again. He gestured for her. “Come here. I want to show you something.”

Puzzled, Edie got to her feet. Weren’t they going to make love on the couch? She was so damn aroused at the moment. Her hands went to his chest as she approached, and she rubbed her body against his. She wanted to grip his cock, but the lubricant-covered rubber was stopping her. “What is it?”

“I want to show you a piece of furniture I bought. Just for you.”

Er . . . okay. “Can it wait until after sex?”

“It’s for sex,” he told her, a wicked grin on his face. And he went to the opposite end of the living room, to where a strangely shaped settee sat. It was covered in a dark leather and looked a bit like a sideways S, with one tall hump on one side.

She . . . had no idea what he wanted to do with it. Edie wrinkled her nose. “If it’s for sex, why is it in the living room?”

Magnus laughed, shaking his head. “You look so disgruntled. It’s not for exhibitionism. Don’t worry. It’s because of the cat,” he said. “She had her kittens before the delivery man could set it up and I didn’t want him scaring her.”

Now she had a blush on her face. “You had someone deliver a sex chair?” she asked, scandalized.

“Absolutely,” he said, pulling a reluctant Edie over to the oddly shaped chair. “Because I intend on fucking my woman long and hard, and this will make it easy on her knee.” He patted the large slope of the chair. “Lie over this.”

She stepped up to it, still feeling a little embarrassed. “Over it?”

“Yep,” he said, putting his hands on her waist. “Drape yourself over it so that your sweet ass is in the air.”

She did, cheeks hot. With the way the chair was set up, her breasts pressed against the leather and her butt pointed at the ceiling. She was about to comment on how awkward she felt, when his thighs pressed up against hers from behind, and his cock nudged against her ass cheeks.

Then, she stopped caring if it was awkward. With a small moan, she leaned forward, pressing her face against the leather and spreading her hips.

“Feel good?” Magnus asked, stroking a hand over her ass. “Because you look fucking incredible right about now.”

She nodded, and gave him a little wiggle. “Hurry up.”

“Patience,” he told her. “I’m admiring the view.”

“Admire a little faster, because I—” Her words cut off as she felt his cock press against her core. “Oooh, right like that.”

“Mm.” His cock pushed into her, just a little. Just enough to make her entire body light up in response. “I love the way you look like this,” Magnus told her. “I might have a new favorite piece of furniture.” And he pushed into her a little deeper. “Or I might just love the look of your ass, regardless.”

She said nothing, her fingers digging into the leather. As he slowly sank into her, a small sound of pleasure escaped her throat.

“God, I love the noises you make,” he rasped. “Love those sexy little sounds that come out of you.”

And then he pumped forward a little more, and she was impaled on his length, moaning at how ridiculously good he felt. Magnus always knew how to move to give her pleasure, chair or no chair. His hands gripped her hips, and then he began to rock into her, moving back and forth in a motion that had her trying to raise her hips to meet his movements. With the angle she was at, each motion as he pushed into her felt better than the last. Within a few strokes, she was clawing at the chair, desperate to come. Something about the way her hips were placed had him brush right up against her in all the right places, and it was making her crazy with need. It was hard to focus. All she could think about was the ache building between her legs and the push of his wonderful, wonderful cock into her.

“Magnus,” she cried.

“I’m here,” he told her, then thrust harder. “I’m here. With you. Raise your ass for me, babe.”

She whimpered and did as he instructed. The next time he pumped into her, Edie’s legs begin to tense with the onset of her orgasm.

“That’s it,” he gritted. “You’re so fucking tight. I can feel you coming.” He rocked into her even harder, his movements increasing in speed.

And then she was coming, her body clenched tight, senseless sounds of pleasure escaping her throat as Magnus said dirty things to her and kept thrusting into her pussy. And then she felt his body jerk, felt his hands clamp down on her hips, and she knew he was coming, too.

Sweaty, exhausted, and feeling so damn good she could cry, Edie curled her toes and gave a happy sigh of contentment as Magnus rested against her, occasionally thrusting and stirring up the occasional aftershock.

“Damn, I love you,” he muttered. “I think right about now I’d grab you in bed and spoon with you but the freaking bed’s taken.”

A smile curved her mouth. “Where have you been sleeping, then?”

“Couch.”

“Couch is good enough for me.”

He helped her slide off of the sex-settee, and then tenderly brushed the hair out of her eyes. “You’re beautiful, you know that?”

“You’re mushy after sex. You know that?”

Magnus grinned. “I do now.” He leaned in and pressed a firm kiss to her mouth. “Wait here and I’ll ditch the condom.”

“Sure.” With a yawn, she sagged against the settee and relaxed, waiting on him. He returned a few moments later with a damp towel for her and a blanket. After she’d cleaned up, they curled up on the couch together, Edie’s legs across Magnus’s thighs once more, and his arms around her. She snuggled against his chest as he wrapped the blanket around them.

It felt like peace. She yawned, pressing her nose against his throat. “Love you.”

“Love you, too. Sorry I don’t have anything better than a couch. You want to get a hotel?”

“Nah. I just want to stay here. Forever.”

He chuckled. “I’d like to get up and eat something in a few hours maybe.”

“If we must,” Edie said, sleepy and replete. “So how come you’re not back at the wacky art house instead of this apartment? I mean, I like this apartment, but it seems small for you, being that you’re Daddy Warbucks and all.”

“I signed the other place over to Levi. When we bought it, we went halves, and now it’s fully his. I didn’t want to be under the same roof as him anymore. Not until he grows up a little.”

She looked up at him in surprise. “Did you break up with your brother, too?” Then again, she seemed to recall Levi’s sulky expression and his split lip the last time she saw him.

“Not as badly as you and Bianca,” Magnus admitted. “I don’t think Levi’s malicious. He’s just . . . thoughtless.”

“That’s not like Bianca,” she thought sadly. Bianca was constantly calculating, wasn’t she? Always scheming about what was best for Bianca. Edie was blind to it no longer, and it made her sad.

He rubbed her shoulder. “Still not talking?”

“Still not talking,” Edie agreed. “The wound’s too new. Maybe when I’ve had more time to process and forgive. But for now? She’s on her own.”

“It’ll be good for her,” Magnus said. “We’re both too mixed up with our siblings. Have been for too long. It’s time to have our own lives, you know? Look at Levi. He’s a dreamer and I’m a doer—we’re a terrible working combination, because I’d want him to sit down and pound out some code, and he’d want to take a walk in Central Park. It would drive me fucking insane, and I’d get pissed, and he’d just put down his feet even more, and things got uglier and uglier. I should have recognized a while back that he didn’t want to work on this project. It was just me pushing so hard for him to work because I felt like I needed him for the game. Now that I’ve realized I don’t, I’ve relaxed on him a lot. It’s just time for us to start moving apart and having our own lives. I’m a lot less stressed, he’s a lot less stressed, and my fist isn’t feeling the need to connect to his face.”