Wild Card

by Elsie Silver

It squeezes the acid right in your fucking eyes.

If you were a house, I would sage you.”

A grumpy lumberjack.

The only thing he sent me into the world with was a defiant backbone, unfailing optimism, the desire to chase my dreams…and a few daddy issues.

“Oh, tonight? Tonight is just our meet-cute. It’s the night we’ll tell our kids about one day. Remember?”

To the outside observer, it would appear that I’m staring at the guy I showed up here with. But they would be wrong. I’m staring at his dad.

“The fuck did you just say to her?” Bash’s voice is cold as ice from across the table.

All I know is that the first thing that comes to mind is, If I live, I’m coming after you.

“The thing is, Gwen, next time you want to watch me, you should just ask.”

I snap. I take something for myself for once. My hands dart out and grip Gwen’s waist. “You know what?” I snarl, yanking her toward me, staring at her plush mouth as her lips softly part—no doubt to say something infuriating. But I don’t let her get a word in edgewise. “Fuck it,” I mutter. Then I kiss her.

This man is so obsessed with you, he doesn’t even know what to do with himself.”

You and Gwen, you’re like Fight Club. You know what the first rule is.”

“You’re a fucking wild card. Unpredictable and never what I expect. You scare the hell out of me every damn day. But today more than any of them. Because I thought I lost you.” His voice cracks. So does my heart. “And I love you, and I hadn’t even gotten the chance to tell you.”