Warrior Fae Trapped (Warrior Fae #1)(78)

Sighing and shoving a smirking Andy out of the way, she trudged to the bedroom. She paused at the threshold, her gaze glued to Devon as he stripped out of his shirt.

“I don’t want to…you know,” Charity said shyly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Last night I just needed some comfort. And, you know, those other nights, too.”

“And you don’t need that tonight?” Devon kept on his boxers as he climbed between the sheets.

“Um…well, tonight you aren’t in a self-induced coma.”

“I will be soon. Chastity, I won’t bite. Unless you ask very nicely.”

She shook her head, wondering why she suddenly felt like a virgin being asked to take off her clothes. She was excited and scared and wound up and eager…

Get a grip, Charity. You’re just sleeping in the same bed. It’s no different than those other times.

But oh God, something about this time felt different.

With a big sigh, she flicked off the lights but kept the door open. She wanted everyone to know there would be no shenanigans going on in here. She wanted no rumors, and definitely no temptation.

She shed her socks and stepped out of her jeans. After discarding her hoodie, she slipped her bra out from under her loose T-shirt. She climbed into the sheets and huddled in a ball on her side.

“C’mere,” he said into the darkness.

“We probably shouldn’t, Devon. That’s a bit…close.”

“Chastity, we did this last night. Nothing happened. I’ll keep my hands in safe areas, I promise.”

“Do you guys want this door open?” Rod asked from the doorway. Yasmine was behind him, looking into the gloom with squinted eyes. Charity hated that she was living up to what Yasmine suspected of her. She hated that it mattered.

“Yes, please,” Charity said before Devon could speak up.

“Afraid you’ll fall in lust if people can’t see you?” Rod chuckled as he moved away.

“C’mere,” Devon said again. “I’ll be good. I just want your warmth. Our shared warmth.”

Charity wanted the same thing. However strange she felt about taking their unspoken arrangement public, she knew she wouldn’t sleep tonight without Devon beside her. With the night pressing in, he was the only person who could make her feel safe. So far he’d protected her, and she knew he would keep protecting her as long as she needed it. She needed him, plain and simple, like she’d only ever needed her mother and John before this. They were a team, for better or worse.

Sighing in resignation, she scooched closer. “No funny business,” she said softly, ducking into his outstretched arm.

He drew her in immediately, dragging her up against his body. His arm held her tight, encouraging her head to find the hollow of his shoulder and her arm to drape across his chest.

“Hook your leg between mine. I like that,” he whispered, his breath falling across her forehead.

“We’re still just friends, though,” she whispered, her face heating with the memory of their kiss. “Or pack mates, if you don’t have female friends.”

He laughed and squeezed her. “Nope. We are passive-aggressive acquaintances that spoon well together when shit goes sideways.”

Laughing softly, she let herself relax and tried to ignore the softness that was working into her core. Affection wasn’t what he looked for in a girl. He wasn’t that kind of guy.

Though it was really too bad. When he let himself thaw, he was funny, and witty, and loyal. She loved being with him, even when they were fighting. Maybe especially when they were fighting. At those times, the alpha in him exploded out, raw and wild. Uncontrollable. Untamable. If he was in any way similar in the bedroom, he’d be—

She mentally slapped herself.

“Why’d you jump?” he asked tiredly, turning and wrapping his arms around her. “I won’t let anything happen to you, Charity, I promise.” He kissed her forehead. “So long as you’ll come back and save me like last time.”

She felt his chuckle through his hard chest and let herself melt into his body, feeling sleep tug at her. She ignored the other thing that was tugging at her, urging her to tilt up her face and taste him again. He’d been an excellent kisser, as good at that as he seemed to be at everything else. Including—

She mentally knifed herself this time.

“Shh, it’s okay. I’ve got you,” he said, his lips lingering on her cheek. His hardness pressing against her thigh. “Sorry,” he said sleepily, but he didn’t move away. She didn’t ask him to.

She squeezed her eyes shut and breathed through her nose, trying desperately to ignore the raging fire that was threatening to consume her body and make her do something they’d both regret. Thank God her body couldn’t outwardly show what was going on internally. She didn’t want him to know how close she was to issuing a green light.





Chapter Thirty-Four





Roger glanced up. He sat at the desk in his Brink home on the outskirts of town, half a country away from Santa Cruz. Soon he’d move to a remote location closer to Santa Cruz, but first he needed to get his affairs in order.

Alder walked in holding a few fluttering pages in his clutched hand. His face was unusually grim, his heavy eyebrows low over his eyes.