The Arrangement 22 (The Ferro Family) by H.M. Ward Read Free Book Online Page A

on the underside of that drone. He’s a sick mofo.” Her lips twitch like she wants to smile fondly. It’s almost admiration. No, that’s not quite right. There’s a starry look in her eye combined with the almost goofy grin.
    Wide-eyed, I point at her. “Holy shit! You like him!”
    “I do not!” She scoffs, grimacing like it’s an insane accusation.
    “Yes, you do! You’ve got that bashful smile on your face, the one that’s totally smitten and goofy! How could you like him? He’s insane.”
    She doesn’t argue this time. “I don’t know. He’s hot, funny, and a little sick. Besides, who are you to criticize? You’re dating the world's most twisted guy.”
    Laughing darkly, I challenge, “Yeah, but Henry is worse.”
    She grins wolfishly and presses her palms together. “Yes, he is.”

CHAPTER 10
    I have no idea how much time passes, but it feels like hours by the time Sean and Henry show up. They stand at the rim with their hands in their pockets—their stances mirrored. Sean’s head tips to the side and Henry’s eyes are wide like he just realized he needs to dig a pit in his shed immediately.
    I wave at Sean with the tips of my fingers. “Hey. How you doin’?”
    He snorts and offers a lopsided grin. “How the hell did you end up in a hole?”
    Mel glares at me, muttering, “Pasty, here, pushed us in when that sick bastard's drone buzzed us.”
    Sean and Henry are about to say something, but Mel cuts them off. Waving a pointer finger in the air she narrows one eye to a slit and growls, “And don’t you give her shit about it. It’s dark and freaky out here at night. There are worse responses to getting hit in the face with a robotic flying machine.”
    Jaw slackened, I gape at her. “You chewed me out!”
    “Right,” Mel looks at me and holds up a palm toward the guys, “which is why it’d be redundant at this point to do anymore scolding. I already took care of it. Plus, I don’t like it when they yell at you.”
    “But it's okay for you to do it?”
    She folds her arms over her chest and cocks her head to the side. “Damn straight.”
    I roll my eyes and look up at Sean, “Save me. Please.” I lift my arms to him like a little kid, and he smiles, shaking his head.
    “Hold on.” He takes an armful of rope and ties it around a tree.
    Henry stands at the rim and asks, “Is sand your Kryptonite, Melanie? Did you finally meet a foe you can’t best?” He chortles to himself.
    “Fuck you, Sweater Vest.”
    He glares coolly at her. “Sorry excuse for an assassin.”
    “Who the fuck says I’m a hit man?”
    “Obviously, you’re not. I’m rather disappointed.” He smirks at Mel. I step back waiting for flames to erupt from her mouth. “If you were, you wouldn’t be stuck in a hole.”
    “Asshole.”
    “I’d rather enjoy visiting your hole.”
    Mel’s lips twist in disgust. “Yeah? Well, whip it out and let’s see what happens.”
    Henry snort-laughs as Sean throws the rope over the edge and reminds him, “She’s going to get out of that pit, and you’ll wish you hadn’t said a word.”
    Henry slips his hands into his pockets and laughs, throwing his head back like Sean is funny. It sounds forced and sarcastic. “As if.”
    I laugh and slap my hands over my mouth. Mel glares at me, so I rush to the edge where Sean tossed the rope over the edge. Looping my hands around the thick-corded rope, I tell her, “He sounds like you.”
    “He does not. He wishes he could sound as amazing as me. But he can’t.”
    Henry waves his pointer finger through the air, throws out his hip, and sways his head—impersonating Mel. “He does so. He’s much more amazing than me, and I’d love to shag the fucker.”
    I grin at Sean as he pulls me up. I shout to Henry, “You should've listened to Sean. Mel’s going to rip your face off when she gets out.”
    Henry swats a hand at her. “She couldn’t hurt a butterfly. Her peak is over. She’s droopy, and headed for a gravity