"I hate to bust all over your bubble, but you're really not as scary as you think you are. I don't find you scary at all, actually."
He stopped, eyebrows aflame in blatant disbelief. Then he flashed a wide, wicked smile.
"You really shouldn't have said that," he chuckled.
He growled, a low sound in the back of his throat. I felt a tingly feeling as his lips curled back over his perfect teeth. His body shifted suddenly, half-crouched, tensed like a lion about to pounce.
I backed away from him, glaring. He was so annoying sometimes.
"You wouldn't."
I didn't see him leap at me—it was much too fast. I only found myself suddenly airborne312 and then we crashed onto the sofa without an invitation, knocking it into the wall several times. All the while, his arms formed an iron cage of protection around me—I was barely jostled. But I was still gasping as I tried to right myself.
He wasn't having that. He curled me into a ball against his chest, holding me more securely than iron chains. I glared at him in alarm, but he seemed well in control, his jaw relaxed as he grinned, his eyes bright only with humor.
"You were saying?" he growled playfully, his voice thick.
"That you are a very, very terrrry-fying monstere," I said, my sarcasm marred a bit by my voiceless breath.
"Much better," he approved.
"Um," I struggled. "Can I get up now?"
He just laughed.
"Can we come in?" a soft voice sounded from the hall.
I struggled to free myself, but Fredward merely readjusted



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Chapter 16