Neala huffed and folded her arms across her ample chest.
“We aren’t two countries at war, Darcy.”
“No,” Sean cut in, “but you are two people at war, and to be honest, when you both get together it’s the equivalent of two countries fighting. Two highly weaponised and equipped countries.”
I swallowed.
Were we really that bad?
Shite.
I knew we acted somewhat – okay, a lot – immature with our feud, but damn, Sean’s words made me feel like crap. And the chances were good that when I took the doll back from Neala, and she realised I had it, it would spark a war like no one had ever seen before.
Why was I so excited about that?
I was sick in the head, that’s why.
“What are you smiling at?” Neala’s voice snapped.
I flicked my eyes to her and shrugged. “Just thought of something funny.”
Well, funny in a twisted and demented kind of way.
Neala obviously didn’t believe me: I could tell by the look on her face. But I didn’t give her the reaction she wanted because I didn’t want to fuel her suspicions of me; I wanted her to be at ease. Or as much at ease as she could be with me in her home.
“So . . . how are we supposed to do this?” she asked. “We hate each other, Darcy.”
I stared at her for a long moment, unblinking.
She was actually considering mending things between us?
I wasn’t expecting that.
“Um . . . I’m not sure,” I said, then swallowed. “I know how we feel about one another, but I guess we could start by not attacking one another or cursing when the other person’s name is mentioned . . . That could be a start to . . . tolerance?”
Neala was silent as she mulled things over in her constantly on-the-go mind. I knew her like the back of my hand, so I knew she would overthink this until she made up some story that I was out to get her. I wasn’t giving her the chance to do that.
“Stop thinking that I’m playing you,” I said.
I winced inwardly as I said that. I was playing her – not about the mending of our ‘relationship,’ because that would actually be kind of cool, but about playing the peace card, which was of course a trick that would help me get the doll back from her.
Damn, she was really going to hate me more than ever when she eventually found out what I was doing to her, but I had to focus on my reason for being so sneaky.
Dustin.
“I don’t trust you, Darcy.”
A wise decision.
“But I trust me brother, and me family, and if they think we can get to a point where we can tolerate one another then okay – I’ll give it a shot. But know I’m doing this for our families, not for us.”
Seemed fair.
“Noted.” I nodded.
Neala nodded her head back to me then cleared her throat as she stood up.
“Can I get you both anything?”
I looked to her brother and waited to see what he would ask for, because if I asked for anything, even though she offered, she would probably bite a chunk out of my face. I could feel the anger radiating from her hot – pun intended – little body. She was open to the idea of us getting along, but she wasn’t happy about it.
Sean shook his head, though, so I smiled and said, “A water, please.”
After a curt nod she went into the kitchen, and Sean nudged me with his elbow.
“If you take that doll, she is going to kill you when she finds out that—”
“I know.”
“And me for bringing you here—”
“I know.”
Sean sighed and muttered, “It’s gonna kill me ma.”
While I waited for my water, I forgot about Sean and Neala and looked around the room. If she had the doll in her bedroom I was fucked, because there was no way I could come up with a viable excuse that would result in my having to go there. I looked around the sitting room, and my eyes locked on to the well-decorated Christmas tree next to me. I looked down and spotted wrapped presents. I glanced up to the kitchen door, and when I was sure Neala wasn’t coming into the room I dropped to my knees and picked up each present.
None of the gifts had name tags on them, so I went for the ones that were a similar size to the box I’d held earlier in the day. I dismissed the first two I held because they were heavier than the box I was looking for. I reached for a pink box I spotted behind the other presents. I held the box in my hand, and I instantly knew it was the doll without even unwrapping it. It was the right weight, and as I ran my fingers over the wrapping paper I could feel the dents in the box that were caused by my and Neala’s tug of war for it at the store.
“This is it,” I whispered to Sean.
“So hide it,” he hissed.
I spun around in a circle and realised I couldn’t hide it without Neala seeing it, so in desperation I tiptoed quickly to the door and quietly opened it. I placed the box next to the doorframe outside and very carefully closed the door again. I quickly retook my seat next to a bemused Sean and tried to calm down.
“Why did you put it out there?” he mumbled.
So she wouldn’t beat me to death with it after she got it back.
I swallowed. “So she wouldn’t see it. I’ll pick it up on the way out.”
Sean raised his eyebrows. “But what if someone outside takes it?”
I froze.
I hadn’t considered that.
“Then I’ll hunt them down and kill them; then I’ll take the doll back.” My lip twitched as I spoke.
Sean snickered. “Okay, Rambo.”
I chuckled and mentally thanked him for easing the tension that was building up again in the room.
I licked my lips. “Do you think she will notice it’s gone?”
“No. Or at least not right away,” Sean replied.
We’d have to leave soon, though, just in case she did notice it was missing. I’d die in this apartment if that happened.
“What the hell is she doing in there?” I muttered.
Sean snorted. “Probably talking herself out of killing you, and me for bringing you here.”
That sounded like Neala.
I smirked. “I think you might be right.”
We sat in silence for a minute or two, then sat up straight when Neala entered the room with a single glass of water in her trembling hands.
“I put ice in it,” she mumbled, and looked down as she handed the glass to me.
I blinked.
Did she remember I only drink ice water, or was it a coincidence?
“Thank you,” I said, and took the glass from her.
She nodded, moved across the room, and sat back down on the lounge chair. I didn’t mean to do it, but I ran my eyes over the glass of water, inspecting it for any signs of foul play. It was Neala we were talking about, after all; she could easily have poisoned it for all I knew. I wasn’t taking any chances.
When I was sure, or as sure as I could be, I took a sip of the water and swallowed. I sighed as the ice-cold liquid slid down my throat and quenched my sudden thirst. I took a large gulp, followed by another, and another, until the glass was drained of water and left with only ice cubes gathered at the bottom.
“Thirsty?” Sean asked from my side. His voice was teasing.
“Not anymore,” I said, smiling.
I looked away from Sean and to Neala, who was watching me with interest.
“Is this where we set up a play date?” she asked sarcastically.
Sean laughed and stood up. “That doesn’t sound like a bad idea, because we have to get going. I have to get Charli from her last day of school before the holiday break and this fella is giving me a lift, since Jess took the truck to work with her today.”
Neala shot upright. “Okay, that’s fine. Thanks for stopping by.”
I smirked.
She couldn’t wait to be rid of us, mainly me.
“It was nice . . . talking to you, Neala,” I li
ed.
It wasn’t nice; it was both torture and amusing as hell.
Neala swallowed. “And you, Darcy.”
Bullshit.