The Peer and the Puppet (When Rivals Play, #1) (130)

I lifted my face from his chest and frowned. “I smell like sex.”

His perfect teeth flashed behind his feral smile. “You smell like me.” He lowered his head, and instinctively, I lifted mine to meet his lips. “Every male within a hundred-mile radius will know that you’re mine,” he growled against my lips.

I began to squirm as the throbbing intensified and heat pooled between my legs.

“Do you think we could get Patty to bottle that?”

“Don’t you dare ask her,” I hissed. “You nearly gave her a heart attack with that check you wrote her.” I shook my head against his chest. “I still can’t believe you asked her to make that soap exclusively for me.”

“Why would I want someone else smelling like my woman?”

“We’re going to have to discuss this possessiveness of yours.”

“No.”

“Then at least tell me how you got your hands on that kind of cash? Those were a lot of zeroes.”

He shrugged as if he wrote ten-thousand-dollar checks every day with a perpetual monthly supply order. “I stole my dad’s checkbook before we left.”

“So what you’re saying is that you plan these displays of male dominance in advance?”

“Sleep, baby,” he mumbled with his eyes closed. He sounded half asleep himself.

I wanted to close my eyes and join him on the other side, but there was still one worry keeping me away.

“What are we going to do about Gruff coming to Blackwood Keep? The Montgomerys are also having dinner with us.”

I replayed in my head what followed Jamie’s latest diabolical stunt:

The moment Gruff was out of earshot, Ever was across the room with the front of Jamie’s coveralls bawled in his fists. “What the hell is your problem?” Ever growled. “You know why Gruff can’t come to Blackwood Keep!”

Jamie didn’t even try to free himself as his eyes narrowed. “Let me ask you something, cousin. If I knew Four was in trouble, but I kept you in the dark, what would you do?”

Ever didn’t respond, but his backing off said everything. “If I could tell you what’s going on with her, I would, Jamie.”

Jamie relaxed, too. “I know,” he said while actually appearing apologetic. “But that doesn’t mean I have to accept it.”

“I’ve got it covered,” Ever bit out.

Rather than take his word, Jamie shook his head. “I don’t trust anyone but me to protect what is mine. Would you?”

“I’m not sure,” Ever answered, drawing me back to the present. His eyes were open once again, and for the first time ever, he seemed worried even though he tried to hide it. He didn’t know that his mask no longer worked on me. Freeing my bottom lip from my teeth he kissed me and said, “But whatever happens, I choose us.”

I sighed as worry fled, and my eyes closed involuntarily. Slowly, I drifted to sleep, the rhythm of his heart my lullaby. Knowing every beat belonged to me, I whispered, “I choose us, too.”





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THE MOTH AND THE FLAME


THE FLAME


“GROSS.” I LOOKED AROUND IN disgust. “What is this place?” The trees were green and tall, the roads were clear of garbage, and because of the absence of smog, the sun shone making it all bright and shit.

“What do you mean?” Wren questioned from the driver’s seat of his sick-ass Impala.

I couldn’t wait for the day he finally let me drive this beast. I knew it wouldn’t be anytime soon, though. Whenever I asked, he pitched a fit.

“It’s clean and…quiet. Where are all the rats and homeless people?”

“You mean your so-called family?” he sneered.

“There’s no place like home,” I chanted with a click of my heels. “There’s no place like home.

“You don’t have a home,” he reminded. “Hence, why I brought you here.”

I lifted my camera from my lap and snapped a couple of pictures. “Who did you say lived out here?”

“I didn’t.”

I sighed. “Why won’t you tell me?”

“Will it matter?” He slowed and turned down a well-groomed path. “You don’t have a choice either way.”

My retort got stuck in my throat when a house bigger than I’d ever seen came into view. “Fucking shit!”

“Language,” Wren scolded as he parked the car.

I rolled my eyes, hating how seriously he took his self-appointed big brother role.

“Please tell me we’re robbing the place.” I bounced up and down in my seat.

He didn’t answer as he opened his door and slid his long body from the car. I quickly followed suit and met him at the front of the car, but the fierce mask he now wore stopped me short.

I knew that look.

I loathed that look.

It was a reminder of the person he tried to keep hidden from me. The boy standing next to me now was not Wren, my friend and protector. He was Harlan, Exiled commander.

A few feet ahead, three vehicles were parked—one of them was a vintage-looking motorcycle.

“I thought you said you were taking me somewhere safe.”