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The corner of his mouth kicked up into a crooked smile and his face softened into an intimate kind of secret between us He tilted his chin, silently telling me to join the istered what it was doing

I was starting to hate those subtle movements he seemed to command so carelessly but received the most immediate results with As the wared me inside I decided that Ryder et everyone to obey those casual movements Or at least he had one over me

It would explain so veryto be worried about

Only, there was no such thing as that kind ofbetween us had to be so even more unexplainable

Or at least on my end With a whoosh of exhaled breath I entered the coffee shop and made my way to the counter

"Hey, Ryder," I threw a smile at him In a weird play of power I wanted to be the one that spoke first

"Hey, Ivy," he echoed in only a slightly teasing voice "Caramel macchiato?"

"Yes, please," I droppeda wider s these out to you when they’re ready," Ryder directed with his gravelly voice

"Howformy employee benefits"

"Oooh," Exie cooed "Eet these benefits?"

Ryder’s srin and he turned his focus to my best friend I immediately felt the loss "Sure, and friends of friends"

"Sweet!" Exie exclaiirl way

"Mued

"Not a chance, Red Go sit down," Ryder countered with restrained force He wasn’t going to be argued with I wondered if I had offended his pride, but when I looked up andance and so like possession, like it was his entitle the battle easily to that kind of resolve, I si friends to a table I was used to Nix’saway at my life Nix wanted to control, to force me to serve I loathed the prideful power that was Nix

But Ryder was soentle He was pushy and dos came from a place of sweetness, and with a desire to protect

When Nix ordered ed animal

When Ryder ordered me around I felt… turned on

Oh no

This was so not good

"Ivy, he’s so yu with appreciation for the erated whisper "I told you!"

What ith uys like they were edible? Possibly we should have ordered soer…

"But you’re right," Sloane continued, her tone dropping with disappointment "He’s so not affected by us at all It’s kind of eerie actually"

"But kind of nice?" I posed the stateh for me it was like bal it felt to be around Ryder, to feel how uniht? There had to be so to…" Sloane hesitated and I knehat she was getting at but I didn’t even want to hear the question out loud "I ht?"

"I’et anywhere near Nix, or ine?" My voice dropped to a whisper as if the axis of evil could somehow overhear me

Sloane nodded with approval, her worried expression turning back to one of respect Exie just srin that ate up half her face

"What?" I asked, narrowing ," she said but kept s a secret

"Exie, what?" I dehed contentedly "I’m just… I’m just happy for you"

I snorted "I just told you, I’m not-"

"I know," she rushed quickly "I know you’re not But can’t I be happy for you anyway?"

"Whatever," I laughed and then Sloane joined in

Three coffees were set down in between us and I felt the presence of Ryder’s overwhel overout the different orders to their owners and then returned the s hi uys," Ryder coue

Well, I didn’t argue until I scooted over "You’re so deed "Isn’t that why you’re here tonight? To introduce me to your friends?"

I choked on a sip of hot h so that it splashed over the sides of the red ceramic cup "Geez, cocky"

He returned my snide coing me to contradict him "Well, isn’t that why you’re here?"

"Psht No," I denied ada up the coffee spill with the thin napkins that sat on the table "We were just thirsty Don’t be so full of yourself"

"I’ued