Tame Me If You Can

Chapter 33

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Chapter 33

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Turns out Naomi and I are like twinsies.

Okay, that's an exaggeration. But we both suck at playing pool.

And we both find Jake annoying.

After we lost to his sinful tactics at the pool table, we returned to dinner, where I had the pleasure of hearing about his diaper stage and how he crashed every girly sleepover by taking over the spotlight with his karaoke skills.

"You guys want to come over to my place for hookah and tea?" John asks randomly.

"You mean what I'm smoking and drinking right now?" I look down at my cup with steaming chamomile and a gold metal hose.

He scoffs. "I serve quality shit. This doesn't count."

"I'm down for quality shit," Jake says. "But I'm still a little tipsy, so someone else needs to drive."

"Uh, hello, I'm someone else." I raise my hand, but he ignores me. I smack his arm. "Do you want to die?"

He stares at me with a crooked smirk, causing my anger to deflate like a slutty balloon.

"I'll drive." Naomi chimes in, oblivious of our exchange. "You go with John, I'll take your car."

"Why?" Jake scowls, though I'm not sure what he's being protective over — me or his car.

"Because it's my birthday and I want to drive your car without you nagging me to slow down." She raises her eyebrows like he doesn't have a choice.

He gives up with a shrug, making me throw my hands in the air. "Am I just cattle to you?"

After covering the check, we get in the car and Naomi zooms onto the freeway, making me leave my soul behind.

"So, Jake said you need help with a child custody attorney, yeah? I can refer you to someone. Not sure if he'll be available on such short notice, but we can try. Are you... listening?"

"Did you say something?" My hair whips around from the wind as I glue my spine to the seat. "Cause you're driving a hundred miles an hour in stilettos and changing the music every five seconds!"

She giggles like my terror brings her joy. "Relax, I'm an excellent driver..."

"U-huh, I'll put that on my tombstone — Mia Ayan, dead for believing Naomi's lies."

"Do you want help with the lawyer or not?"

~

When she pulls on the driveway and I get out — no, wobble out with nausea and trauma — Jake holds me with an amused smile.

"What happened to your face... and your hair?"

I fist his jacket to pull him down. "Your sister... is a maniac."

"Hey," she snaps behind me while her friends nod. "Assholes. Where's John?"

"In the back, he said to meet him there," Jake answers then looks at me. "You have my car keys?"

"Yup, they're in my purse."

"Alright..." Naomi sighs. "Follow me, people."

Heels and dress shoes hit the pavement as she leads us around the house.

Jake whispers in my ear. "Have I told you how beautiful you look today?"

I melt against him. "Not at all, please say it again."