Twisted Deeds (Hellions of Hade Harbor #3)

by Mila Kane

“That six-tier monstrosity the pastry chef spent all day on is yours?” I gave her a once-over. “Got a deadly allergy I should know about?” “Why? Are you going to try and kill me? Death by cinnamon. At least it’d be a sweet way to go,” she sighed. Cinnamon. Something clicked. I’d helped my mom make her sweet empanadas enough times to know what went in the apple filling. Was there even the slightest chance that the picky princess wasn’t as terrible as I’d imagined for the last year? I passed her back the Carrick bend knot, laying it on her thigh. “Happy birthday, Ice Queen.” She stared at the rope, surprised by the gesture. “Give it back, if you’re just going to throw it away,” I warned her. Why I was giving this girl a second chance to surprise me, after a year of ignoring her existence, I had no idea. Maybe it was the pot, making me generous. Or maybe it was the way the stars seemed to collect in her eyes when she smiled at me, alone together on the rooftop, hidden from the world. Her fingers traced the shape and then she tucked it into her bag. “You gave it to me. No take backs. This is the only homemade present I think I’ve ever gotten. My dad gave me a new Amex for a gift.” “Well, that was my second choice,” I murmured. She smiled, and opened her mouth to speak, but I never heard her words.