Sunset to Sunrise (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #7.5)(29)

Letting her talk me into taking ownership of the nightclub had probably been a mistake on my part. But looking into those deep brown eyes, I couldn’t say no. Anything she asked of me, I would do for her. That’s why something had to give. And soon. Loving her was taking me to places I didn’t think I could come back from.

I often thought about leaving. Slipping away, hitting the highway with just my car and my memories. It would be good for us both. Those thoughts didn’t linger long though. There was no way in hell I would take off before everything went down with Shya. If she needed me and I wasn’t here, I’d never forgive myself.

“How much time do you think we have?” Willow’s sudden appearance was quickly followed by the clink of shot glasses.

I looked up with a grin, grateful for his presence. “I have no idea. If luck is on my side she won’t even come by tonight.”

The more we worked, the more damage I discovered. How was I going to explain this?

I didn’t have much time to figure that out. Just a few hours past sundown, Alexa walked through the door. Long blonde hair fell almost to her waist. Blue jeans hugged her curves like they were part of her. My gaze passed over her cleavage before meeting her dark eyes.

She stared in shock at the chaos. I shared a look with Willow who continued to toss chair legs and tabletops toward the pile we’d started.

“Do I even want to know?” Alexa asked, walking through the mess toward us. Her observant gaze took in everything, even the scorch mark on the ceiling.

“No.” Willow and I answered simultaneously, which led to laughter. Damn, she did not look happy.

“You’re home sooner than I expected,” I said, trying to hide the guilty smile that dominated my face. “Glad to see you’re relatively unscathed. How was Vegas?”

“It was a f*cking gong show. Apparently, I missed something while I was gone. Want to fill me in?”

I didn’t want to tell her about Phillip. She had enough shit to shovel without me piling that on top. For now, it was taken care of. If anyone else wanted to try to continue what Phillip started, they would end up as he did.

“Not particularly,” I said, avoiding eye contact. “Had a little trouble is all. I took care of it. Nothing for you to concern yourself with.”

I hoped she didn’t force the issue, but I fully expected it. This was Alexa. The most stubborn person I knew.

“Is that so?” She challenged, her tone icy cold. “Looks to me like I was right about leaving you in charge here. Another day or two, and there probably wouldn’t even be a building left to trash.”

I stiffened. It was difficult to keep it together when the sudden urge to hurt her was so dreadfully overpowering. Going through the motions, tossing pieces of broken furniture, I could feel the weight of her gaze upon me. I fought so hard not to look at her. Alexa’s energy sang with irritation and something else, intrigue. She was watching me work and enjoying it from what I could tell.

“Gee, thanks; glad to see you too,” I said with a sarcastic drawl. “Actually, I’m the reason this place is still standing, among other things. Though I don’t expect you to believe that.”

Before she could slap me with a snide retort, Willow approached with Alexa’s dagger in hand. While the two of them spoke, I kept busy. If I didn’t keep my hands moving, I just might give in to the unholy hunger burning within me. I ached for her. It was a deep-rooted, twisted yearning that I possessed no control over. Being so close to Alexa was torture. Her scent threatened to strip me of the precarious hold I had on sanity. The taste of her blood swam up from my memory and with it the remembrance of drowning in her heady wolf energy.

“Why are you back early?” Willow asked, voicing a question I too wanted an answer to.

The two of them walked the length of the building as she scrutinized everything. I listened as she recounted her Vegas visit, leaving out plenty I was sure. When she revealed Arys’s intent to take back control of Las Vegas and her willingness to be part of that, I questioned for just a moment if I’d done the right thing by killing Phillip.

It took a lot of willpower to keep my mouth shut. She didn’t ask my opinion so I wasn’t about to offer it. When she disappeared into the back hall, I couldn’t resist the urge to follow.

Willow began to sweep up some shattered glass. He watched me go after her but didn’t offer comment.

I slipped down the back hall, drawn to her against my will. She was standing in the big suite at the end of the hall. It had belonged to the former owner.

“I’m sorry about the mess,” I said, announcing my approach. “Everything goes to shit when the queen is away.”

She turned quickly, taking a defensive stance. “Seriously? What’s with everyone and the f*cking royalty references lately?”

I hated that her instinctive response was to ready for an attack. Not only did it hurt me to see how things had changed between us, it taunted the wicked side of me that wanted her naked and screaming. She didn’t trust me, nor should she. Even as we stood there staring at each other, I was thinking about what she tasted like.

“I guess you’re the only one still in denial about it.” I crossed my arms, feigning casual and hoping she didn’t see the dark desire in my eyes.

“Apparently so.” The critical expression she wore bothered me more than it should have.