The Raven King

"Please don't take this the wrong way, but it's not you I'm worried about," Nicky said. "If you're going to play dealer who do we have in goal second half?"

Wymack looked at Andrew. Andrew looked over his shoulder as if checking for a third goalkeeper.

"Why are you so special?" Matt asked.
"I'm not," Neil said, confused.
"Andrew doesn't give ground to anybody. Why does he keep saying yes to you?

How did you do it?"
Neil neatly excised ninety percent of the truth and said, "I asked."
"Yeah, right. Do you know what would have happened to me if I asked? Violence, Neil. Extreme and uncalled-for violence."

Get Nicky to change the date and get your invitation. Okay?"
"Okay," Neil said.

Tick tock," Andrew said. "You have my attention; now keep my interest."
"Nicky's mother called."
"Oops, time's up."

Then Andrew and Kevin—"

"When I said I wasn't Andrew's type, I meant it. It's not about my looks or faith. It's that I'm a woman."

"Thanks for nothing and good night," Dan said. "We're out of here."

Neil only needed a second to realize Andrew was sending it to him, and his heart beat with savage triumph.

"Why don't you like girls?"
Nicky looked startled by the interruption, but he rallied quickly and made a face. "They're so soft."