Dead and Loving It (20 page)

I
'm glad you didn't cut it,” she said later, after making love. She stroked the long, silky strands. “I like it long.”

“Now, yes. Then, no.”

“I suppose. That'll teach you to conform to society,” she teased.

He made a sound like gravel rolling down a hill, and after a minute, she realized he was laughing.

She supposed she should tell him; he might wonder, tomorrow night, where she had gone. “Just a heads up, I'm leaving tomorrow.”

“Why?”

“Because…because I haven't been able to figure out how to help the queen. And I can't stay here while you—I can't stick around, let's just leave it like that.”

“But if you don't help…you don't get what you want.”

“So I don't get what I want. My life will remain completely unchanged.” She thought she said it with no bitterness. And dammit all, she was about to cry again. But not in front of Garrett. No way.

“Don't go,” he said.

Okay, now she
was
crying. “Well, I am, so shut up about it. What do you care? You love Betsy, don't you?”

“Yes.”

“So that's all you need.”

“No.”

“What's the matter with you? Why do you even care? You've got everything you need right here.”

“Now.”

“Look, Garrett. I guess…you don't really love me.”

“Wrong.”

“What?” Outraged, she sat up. “You just
said
you loved Betsy.”

He yanked her back down. “Love Betsy…like the sun. Powerful, can't control it. Don't know what will happen.”

“Yeah, that sounds about right.”

“Love you like…air. Need it. Betsy is queen…belongs to everybody. Like money. You…belong to me. You're…only for me.”

She went still as stone for a long time, wondering if her ears were defective, wondering if she dared believe what he'd said. But why not believe him? When had he lied?

“If this is your way of trying out telling jokes,” she said through a shuddering breath, “I will dislocate
both
your shoulders,
and
your legs.”

“Do it, if you'll stay.”

“I'll stay.”

“Then okay,” he said comfortably.

“I'm not sleeping in the basement, though.”

“Okay.”

“They can give us good curtains, or we can board up the windows in this room.”

“Okay.”

“I love you, jerk.”

He looked surprised. “Of course.”

She groaned and punched him, which led to other things. Nicer things.

Y
ou're moving
in
?”

Antonia nodded with a mouthful of breakfast. “As of right now,” she added, spraying the queen with scrambled eggs.

“Oh. Okay. You're moving in? Okay. I thought you were going to leave. We all—I mean, we didn't want you to go but didn't feel like we could make you stay. Ugh, don't smile like that! Especially not with your mouth full.”

She swallowed but couldn't help grinning. “Better get used to it.” They had wanted her to stay? Had talked about convincing her? How charming!

She scooped more eggs onto her plate. Damn, that Sinclair could cook! Where'd he gotten to, anyway? Oh, who cared?

“Don't you have to call your boss, or leader, or whatever?” Betsy asked, sitting across from her and picking eggs out of her hair.

“Did it last night.”

“So it's all taken care of.”

“Umm-hmm.” Michael had sounded almost insultingly relieved at the news that she wasn't coming back. If she hadn't had Garrett, she might have been devastated. But as it was…

“I have a new family now. Don't look scared, I'm only going to get sentimental for a minute.”

“I wasn't scared,” Betsy said defensively. “Just surprised, is all. You have to admit, you kind of pulled a one-eighty in the last twenty-four hours.”

“Yeah, well, this is where I'm supposed to be. My lover's here, he lets me be as rough as I want—”

Betsy put her hands over her ears. “Overshare!”

“—you guys don't seem to care if I can see the future or shit nickels.”

“I think I liked the gruff, unsentimental side of you a lot better.”

“So I'm staying.”

“Well, that's great. A werewolf who can see the future will probably come in handy.” She gestured to the cavernous kitchen. “And it's not like we don't have the room.”

“Yeah, having me around all the time will be a help, get it?”

“Uh, no.”

“And by hanging out here, I get what I want.” Lover. Love. Family. Acceptance.

“Oh! So—”

“I switched it around by accident. Or maybe I just wasn't paying attention. Bottom line: I get what I want. Then I help you by moving in. Or I move in with you. Then I get what I want. Either way, I was right. Again. I just don't have enough faith in myself, that's the problem.”

“Yeah, that's the problem.” Betsy looked mystified. “I don't get it.”

“If you were as smart as me,” Antonia assured her, “you would.”

“Oh, goody. Someone else who has zero respect for me. Because there aren't enough of them hanging out in this mausoleum.”

Garrett picked that moment to bound in, give Antonia's hair a friendly yank, and bound back out.

Betsy watched him go. “How, uh, sweet.”

“Wow! I didn't even hear him come in that time! God, what a man.” Antonia sighed and shoveled more eggs in her mouth. “Isn't that just the sexiest, coolest thing you've ever seen?”

“Um. Let me get you a napkin. Possibly five.”

“Bitch.”

The queen laughed at her. “Sez you.”