I giggled, but it was a sad sound. “No, you can’t. He has issues, and I want to be understanding but…I just don’t want to suffer for what his past has done to him.” I had no intention of elaborating on just what that past was, and thankfully nobody asked.

“That’s reasonable,” said Alora. “Just explain that to him when you guys talk.”

Cassie blinked. “Salem talks?”

I rolled my eyes. “He’s not that bad.”

“Only during training,” Cassie insisted.

“I’ll bet he talks dirty.” Maya smiled devilishly, crossing one slim leg over the other. “The quiet ones are always the chattiest in bed.”

“Oh, would you look at that blush!” chuckled Paige as my face heated. “You must be right, Maya.”

I cast the chuckling group a disgusted look. “I hate you bitches.”

“Stop teasing her!” Alora admonished, but she was still laughing. “We’re supposed to be cheering her up, which means not talking about the asshole and his insistence on being ridiculously overprotective.”

“Well of course he’s overprotective of you,” laughed a very unwelcome voice. Gina kind of slinked her way into the group, making them all stiffen and gather closer to me, on guard. Later, I’d probably smile about it.

Gina gave me a pitying look. “You’re no doubt in constant danger, since you probably annoy everyone you meet – which is a substantial talent, I have to say. And, well, you’re not exactly sturdy, are you, child?” The implication was that I was helpless and weak.

I sighed. I didn’t have the energy or patience to deal with the demented heifer. “Is there a reason you’re tainting my air?”

“Such anger. He really has upset you, hasn’t he? You should never let a man have this kind of power over you.” She sounded genuinely sympathetic, which was of course a total act. “Although I can understand why him being overprotective would get tedious after a while. But if it’s any consolation, it won’t last much longer. Salem will quickly get bored with a damsel.”

“Hmm. Well, thanks for bringing that to my attention. Here.” I handed her my straw. “Go suck the joy out of your own evening and leave me to enjoy mine.”

Gina flushed. “You think he’ll stay with you, don’t you? Why? Oh, you’re not going to say he loves you, are you?” She sneered, as if the concept of love was utterly ridiculous.

The fact was that, no, I didn’t think he loved me. I wasn’t sure Salem – being as emotionally stunted and messed up as he was – would even be able to connect with someone on a level that deep. But I had no wish to share that with Gina, or any intention of letting her see how much she could get to me. No. I’d seriously had enough of this bitch. And I was going to have fun while I pissed her off.

Knowing it grated on her nerves, I brought back the airhead tone as I clapped a little. “Ooh, is this another game of ‘trying to make Ava leave Salem’?” I let my shoulders sag. “But we play that one all the time. We need to think of another game. Hey, how about we play ‘Ava kicks Gina’s skanky ass’?”

Gina’s flush deepened. Ooh, how special. “That particular game wouldn’t end well for you, child. Or for your little friends here, if they were thinking of playing with us.”

Faking a Scottish accent, I spoke in a theatrical voice. “You may take our lives. But you’ll never take…our free –” Suddenly a mountain was wedged between us. “Ah, Salem, I was having fun.”

A growl rumbled out of him as he faced Gina. “Didn’t I warn you to stay away from Ava?” The danger in his voice sent a shiver down my spine.

“We were just talking, weren’t we, child?” Her mocking tone didn’t quite conceal the nervous tremor in her voice.

“Don’t look at Ava, look at me. This is the last time I’ll tell you, Gina. Leave. Ava. Alone.”

“What will you do if I don’t?” she snickered.

“It’s not me you need to worry about.” The dark humour in Salem’s voice made me frown. My frown deepened when he stepped aside, clearing my path to Gina. He cast me a quick glance. “Go ahead, Ava.”

I knew then what he was doing. In his own weird way, Salem was apologising. Was making a statement that he did trust in my ability to take care of myself, and that he could and would step aside when I needed him to. I almost laughed at the soppy ‘How sweet is that?’ look on Alora’s face. You’d think he’d proposed marriage or something.

I slipped off the stool, my eyes fixed on Gina. “You sure you want to do this?”

She smirked and braced herself, inviting me forward with a flick of her fingers. “Let’s dance.”

I snorted. “Who says that?” Then I punched her breast. As she yowled – there was no other word for the noise that came out of her mouth – and folded over slightly in pain, I dealt her a blow to the jaw…and down she went. Unconscious before she even hit the floor. Well that was disappointing. “Huh. I was kind of hoping for a decent fight.”

“Yeah, me too.” Jude twirled her knife on her finger as she stared down at Gina. “Would it be terribly bad to carve something creative on her forehead?”

Alora regarded Jude with a smile. “You know, Chico’s good for you.”

Jude blinked. “Why do you say that?”

“He’s taught you to think before you act. A few months ago, you might have already scrawled ‘I am a hoebag’ into her flesh.”

Imani’s face lit up. “That would be amazing!”

“But immoral – she’s out cold,” said Alora, the voice of reason for once.

Imani shrugged. “So?”

Leaving the girls to explore the ethics of carving into an unconscious woman, I turned to Salem. “Most people just say ‘sorry’. But handing over your ex for painful handling was so much better.”

His mouth curved as he pulled me close. “So we’re okay?” Concern and uncertainty clouded his eyes. It was odd seeing such a confident male feel unsure. But the fact was that he wasn’t any better at relationships than I was.

“We’re okay…providing you can agree on us being a team.”

He inhaled deeply. “Being a team would be good.” He engulfed my hand in his. “Home.”