“So, Bryce, how’s senior year going for you?” Toby starts.
“Not any different than my junior year,” the Idol replies.
“Do you know which school you’re going to attend once you graduate?”
“I’m leaning toward Hawk City University.”
“Cool, cool, cool. That’s a good school.”
I turn in my seat to peer at Toby. I’ve never seen him act like that before, mumbling words like he’s missing part of his brain.
“How about you, Daisy? Any thoughts yet on what you’re going to do once you graduate Gifted Academy?” Bryce asks me in turn.
I throw him a fleeting glance before peering at the road again. “Nope. I don’t think I’m going to college.”
“Why not? Is it a money thing?” His question is so blasé, one would think he’s asking about the weather and not my financial status.
“Yep.” I look out the window. Maybe he’ll get a clue that I don’t want to talk if I ignore him.
“My dream is to attend the medical school at Prism City University,” Toby chimes in.
“That’s a bold plan for a Fringe, Toby,” Bryce replies.
“Well, Fringes and Norms get sick more often than Idols do. It makes sense to have more Fringe and Norm doctors, but that’s not the case.” Toby’s answer has a hint of bitterness, which is never good to show around an Idol.
“And do you think that’s a problem?” Bryce glances at Toby through the rearview mirror.
Shit. Dangerous question. Abort. Abort.
“Don’t you?” Toby fires back.
I rest my forehead against my hand. And here I thought I had self-destructive tendencies around Idols. What’s Toby trying to do? Get on the Magnificent Four’s shit list alongside me?
“Honestly. I never stopped to think about that,” Bryce replies.
“So, how about some music?” I ask, trying to change the subject.
Bryce clicks one of the dozen buttons on his steering wheel, and music immediately fills the car. Classical music.
“Is that Mozart?” Toby asks.
“Le Nozze di Figaro,” Bryce replies with an upturn of his lips.
“Wasn’t he a Norm?” I frown at the radio’s display.
“He was brilliant. Who cares if he was Norm?” To further his point, Bryce turns the volume up.
I stare at the guy, completely stupefied. He’s an Idol, and he has the arrogance of one born with phenomenal powers down to a peg. But he’s also completely atypical. He gave me noise-canceling headphones, helped me escape Rufio on the evening we first met, and now he’s giving me a ride while we listen to one of the most famous Norms of all times. He’s a fucking enigma, and despite all my misgivings about Idols, I want to unravel his mystery.
It doesn’t hurt that he’s sex on a stick either.
Heat takes over my face. The scene with a certain dropped towel comes to the forefront of my mind. My throat becomes dry, and there’s a distinct fluttering in my chest.
“You look nice, by the way,” Bryce says all of a sudden. “I hope I didn’t butt in on your date.”
“Date?” Toby and I say at the same.
“No, no, no. We weren’t on a date. Not at all,” Toby adds quite vehemently.
I turn to jokingly glare at him. “Jeez, could you be more assertive about that?”
His green eyes become rounder, and his pale, freckled face turns bright crimson. “I didn’t mean it like that. I… I… come on, Daisy. You know what I mean.”
“Actually, I don’t.” I laugh, but seeing the panicked look in Toby’s eyes, I swallow the amusement. Is it possible that Toby likes boys?
“Are you gay?” Bryce asks bluntly.
“What?” Toby turns paler. “No. I’m not gay.” He rests his head in his hand. “Do I give off gay vibes?”
“No, not all. Relax, I was only teasing,” I say, then look at Bryce. “Nice going there, Mr. Tactful.”
“What did I say?” The guy looks genuinely surprised at my sarcastic comment.
I glance away. “Never mind. I wouldn’t expect your kind to look beyond your own navel.”
“You sure have a lot of misconceptions about my kind. Maybe I should just drop you off in the middle of nowhere and take off,” he retorts angrily. “Or better yet, obliterate you to nothing with a snap of my fingers.”
He emphasizes his point with the actual gesture, and tendrils of energy flicker between his digits. The music is disrupted for a brief moment, but it’s the fiery glow in his eyes that’s making my stomach twist savagely. My pulse quickens as I swallow a lump the size of a boulder.
Fuck. That was a stupid thing to do. Poke the beast while trapped in his car.
“Daisy didn’t mean anything by it,” Toby chimes in. “Please don’t kill us.”
Bryce twists his lips into a smirk. “Relax, ginger. I’m not the murdering kind.”
Could’ve fooled me. The reply is on the tip of my tongue, but by some miracle, I keep it bottled up.
Daisy, when are you going to learn?
28
Bryce
I wanted to know what Daisy was up to, and the opportunity to do so pretty much landed in my lap. A broken-down car. Perfect. It would’ve been better if the Fringe kid wasn't around, though. He's acting as a buffer, policing Daisy's responses. It doesn't matter. I will find out the truth about her tonight, one way or another.
But did she have to be wearing that damn microskirt and leather cowboy boots? It's distracting and irritating. I've seen her wearing less, but somehow her current outfit is sexier than her stripper getup. Her legs seem to go on forever, showcasing golden skin that has me itching to touch it.
Bryce, get a grip on yourself. She's just a Norm girl.
But I can't contain myself. Now that Daisy has managed to reanimate something inside of me and vanquish the numbness, she’s created a magnet pull around her. And as much as I hate it, I'm drawn to her.
I chance a few subtle glances in her direction. She hasn't said much after my little display of Idol power. Her body is tense, and when I catch her nibbling on her lower lip, a zing of arousal shoots straight to my crotch. My dick hardens and strains against my jeans. For fuck’s sake. I’m acting like Phoenix now, who walks around with a constant semi.
"Stop biting your lips,” I snap. “If you’re hungry, there are snacks in the glove compartment.”
"Seriously? You’re going to pick on what I do with my teeth and mouth now?”
Motherfucker. Several ideas pop in my head of what she could do with that kissable mouth of hers.
“Man, you’re lucky I’m not Phoenix.” I laugh.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” She crosses her arms in front of her chest.
"Actually, I’m kind of hungry,” Toby interrupts. “I forgot to eat breakfast.”
I glance at the Fringe via the rearview mirror. I’m not sure if I should toss him out of the window or thank him for his timely disruption.
Daisy reaches for the glove compartment, but propelled by a strange impulse, I lean sideways and open the box for her, brushing my hand against her thigh accidentally. She shifts in her seat, pulling her legs closer to the door, while I rummage through the chocolate bars and mini bags of assorted candy. I take my time, enjoying invading Daisy's personal space a bit too much.
"Do you mind?" she finally complains.
I grab a few packages and toss them at Toby. "There you go, buddy. I hope you like sweets."
"Thanks." He catches the candy in an awkward way, obviously not expecting so many packages to rain on him.
"Healthy much?" Daisy says.
"Were you expecting granola bars and trail mix?" I raise an eyebrow.
"Nothing that specific, but maybe other snacks besides candy."
"I love sugar.” I grin.
“Obviously.” She quirks her lips to the side. She really ought to stop drawing my attention to her mouth. I’m tempted to stop the car and pull a Phoenix move.
I shake
my head and try to yank my mind out of the gutter.
"We're almost at Poppy's Joint. Maybe this time you can order an entire pie to yourself." Daisy gives me a phony smile. It's radiant nonetheless. I would love to see it when she smiles for real.
"Uh, Daisy. Did you text your sister to meet us at Poppy's Joint?" Toby asks with his mouth half full of candy.
"Crap on toast!" She pulls an ancient device from her purse.
"Is that a phone?" I ask.
"Yes." She levels me with a glare. "Shut up."
"I didn't say anything." I sound apologetic and defensive, two emotions that are completely foreign to me.
I’m losing control here, and that’s not a good thing.
"I know what you were thinking,” she replies.
Her nimble fingers fly over the small buttons on her phone. Good grief. I don't know how she can type so fast when there's no keyboard on the screen.
"Great. Now Rosie is pissed at me that I didn't tell her sooner," Daisy mumbles to herself.
"I can easily pick her up," I offer.
Her entire demeanor changes. Her brow furrows and her gaze turns dark, guarded. "It's okay. She’ll meet us at Poppy's."
She doesn't want me to find out where her sister lives. It's a smart precaution, but futile. Now that I know she has a sibling, it would be child's play getting the address. But whatever, I'll let her have this false illusion of safety.
It takes another two minutes to arrive at Poppy's Joint, and I get excited for something other than the Norm next to me.
"What do you think is the pie of the day?" I ask as I turn off the engine.
"It's Saturday, so probably blueberry again."
"That was a most excellent pie. My brother definitely lost that bet."
"Ugh. Don't remind me of your brother." Daisy gets out of the car.
"What bet?" Toby asks.
I don't answer him right away, too busy watching Daisy walk into the diner. Shit, the girl has a nice ass.
And now I have a major boner. Again.
Son of a bitch.
DAISY
"Are you fucking crazy?" Felicity wraps her hand around my arm and pulls me closer. "What are you doing with that Idol?"
"My ride's car broke down, and Bryce showed up and offered us a lift."
She looks over my shoulder and openly glares at Bryce, who’s now parked in a booth and eyeing the menu.
"And who’s the ginger with him?"
"You can stop glowering at Toby. He's a Fringe and a friend."
I have to emphasize the last word. Fringes can be hit or miss. In my experience, the closer they are to Idol status, the worst they get.
"Can I have my arm back now?" I ask.
Felicity's expression softens as she drops my arm only to engulf me in a bear hug. "Oh, I've missed you, girlie. This place has not been the same without you."
"I miss you too. More than you can imagine."
She holds me by the shoulders and pushes me back. "Those Idol assholes aren’t giving you a hard time, are they, Daisy?"
"Not as much as I thought they would," I lie, and I know Felicity suspects as much. "I have to tutor one."
The corners of her mouth twitch up before she throws her head back and laughs out loud. "That's fucking awesome."
"Yeah, it's pretty surreal." I smile, but I’m not nearly as amused as her.
She doesn't know that I'm in mortal danger just by being in Morpheus’s presence. Yup, being taught by a lowly Norm is so not sitting well with his ego.
"And what about the other guy? You know, the dark-haired jackass who wanted to kill you?"
"Oh, he's fine. He hasn't bothered me at all." I wave my hand dismissively.
"Daisy, be careful with those Idols. If they’re acting like everything is fine, it's because they’re plotting something truly nasty."
I totally believe Felicity's words. Rufio’s sudden interest in me is probably part of a scheme to bring me down. Phoenix and Morpheus are the only ones who are acting as expected, like the despicable bullies they are.
"Don't worry, Fefe. I can take care of myself."
Felicity watches me with a narrowed gaze. "All right. Now, you go sit down with your friend. I'll be there to take care of you in a minute."
I veer toward the booth. Toby is sitting across from Bryce. I eye the seat next to him. There's no way I'm sitting that close to the Idol. But in that precise moment, Rosie walks through the door.
"Daisy!" she yells and then runs into my arms.
"Rosie! You got here super-fast." I hug her tight and kiss her cheek.
"Our landlord took pity on me. She drove me here."
"That was nice of her." I pull back and take in my sister's face. "You're tan. You haven't skipped school to go the beach, have you?"
"I did go to the beach yesterday, but only after class. I went surfing!"
A stab of jealousy pierces me. I’ve always wanted to learn how to surf but never found the time—or the money to pay for lessons.
“Who did you go with?” I ask, but she’s no longer paying attention.
I follow her line of sight. She’s gazing at Bryce and Toby. My friend is staring at her in a funny way—mouth slightly open and bugged eyes. Bryce is also looking at her, but his expression is completely opposite of Toby’s. He's watching Rosie in a detached manner. I’m relieved that he's not ogling my sister like he did me earlier.
Rosie leans closer and whispers in my ear, “Who are they?”
“The ginger is Toby. He’s a Fringe, but he’s nice. The other guy is Bryce. An Idol and an ass.”
“What are you doing hanging out with an Idol?” she asks.
“It’s a long story. Let’s go before they realize we’re gossiping about them.”
“Shit, do we need to sit with them?” Rosie’s voice trembles a bit. She has as much reason as I do to fear Idols. Neither of us can forget the night our parents were killed at the hands of those monsters.
“Unfortunately, yeah. You can sit next to Toby.”
Both boys scooch closer to the window when we approach the booth.
“This is my sister, Rosie. That’s Toby and Bryce,” I introduce.
“Hi,” Rosie whispers with her gaze downcast.
“Nice to meet you, Rosie,” Bryce replies in a clear and loud voice.
Toby just mumbles something indiscernible.
Rosie and I take our seats, but I’m careful to leave a big enough gap between myself and Bryce, which means half my ass is hanging out of the booth. My awkward sitting only lasts a second before an invisible force yanks my body to the left, making me slide along the booth until my leg is flush with Bryce’s.
“What the hell?” I glare at him.
“You were falling off the seat.” He smiles at me, mischief shining in his eyes.
My nostrils flare and my hands curl into fists. I open my mouth to offer an angry retort when Felicity comes to our table.
“Howdy, folks. What can I get you?”
Bryce lifts his gaze to her. “I’d like the blueberry pie, please.”
“One slice of blueberry pie,” Felicity recites as she writes down the order on her pad.
“Not a slice. I’d like an entire pie.”
Her pen stops moving and she stares at Bryce. “You’re going to eat an entire pie by yourself?”
I shake my head. “Trust me, Fefe. He will.”
“All right, then. What about you, girls?”
“I’m not really hungry,” Rosie replies.
“Nonsense. It’s lunchtime. You gotta eat something. Don’t worry, I’ll ask our chef to cook something nice for you.” Felicity smiles.
“You have a chef?” Toby’s eyebrows rise.
We all stare at him. There’s no glint of mirth in his gaze. He’s serious.
“She was joking, Fringe boy,” Bryce replies.
Toby’s cheeks turn bright red again. “Oh. I’ll have the burger special, please.”
Bryce moves his leg, and the frictio
n makes me all the more aware that we’re too close. I’m leery and at the same time excited. My head knows Bryce is dangerous, but my body is as dumb as a door. I stare at the table and try not to think that I’m enjoying our nearness too much.
“Earth to Daisy.” Felicity snaps her fingers in my face. “What are you having, hon?”
I blink a couple of times and realize all eyes are on me. “Right, I’ll have the burger special too. Thanks.” I return the menu to her without making eye contact.
I hope no one suspected why I was distracted.
Rosie follows Felicity with her eyes, and when she’s out of earshot, she leans forward across the table. “Everything is set for Felicity’s party. All we have to do is help with the decorations.”
“Oh, so it’s the waitress’s birthday party,” Bryce says.
I ignore him. “And how are we getting her to the bar in Emelton?”
All my careful planning went down the drain with me no longer working here and the restaurant I had originally picked no longer being operational.
“Her boyfriend will bring her to the bar.”
“Her boyfriend?” I sound surprised because I am.
“It’s new.” Rosie shrugs.
Another stab of jealousy strikes me. Rosie got to know Felicity’s news before me. Felicity has known Rosie as long as she has known me, but I’m her friend. Rosie is like a kid sister to Fefe, one she’d never talk to about boyfriends and stuff.
I don’t realize I’m frowning until Bryce whispers close to my ear. “What’s the matter, Daisy? You look mad.”
Ignoring the insta–goose bumps on my neck, I pull away. “Nothing.”
“You’re a terrible liar.” He chuckles.
“You’re wrong,” Rosie retorts. “You should see Daisy work a pool room.”
I kick her under the table. She gasps and glares at me.
“Oh? So you’re a hustler, then.” Bryce glances at me, but I refuse to make eye contact. “How many more hidden talents do you have?”
I bet he’s referring to the stripping. Son of a bitch. If he mentions Unearthly Desires to my sister or Toby, I’ll murder him.
Wicked Gods: A Paranormal High School Bully Romance (Gifted Academy Book 1) Page 16