Stop being stupid. It’s lust...that’s it.
Maybe. I couldn’t deny he was attractive in a wild, dangerous way, like a hungry wolf on the hunt. Still, when I glanced into his intriguing eyes, something pulled at my soul, begging me to grab on to his arms and never let go.
Ridiculous, Phoebe, absolutely ridiculous. The man is a petty criminal.
But he’d returned the necklace—unbroken—and helped me deal with Brian.If he’s a thief, then he’s a conflicted thief.
Letting out a soft chuckle, I placed my phone on the charger, switched off the bedside lamp, and closed my eyes.
Why am I still thinking about how good he looked today, how safe he made me feel?
Because he’d come back to return my necklace and then protected me—a total stranger. He had a good heart, whether he wanted to admit it or not.
I smiled into the dark and fantasized slipping my arms around his neck, molding my body to his, and letting his strong hands wrap me in a loving embrace.
Chapter 11
Cain
Perched on the edgeof a cliff, legs dangling over the precipice, I leaned backward onto my elbows and stared at the full moon arcing across the starry sky.
I hadn’t meant to save Phoebe from Brian the asshole. I’d only intended to return the necklace and pump her for more information. But when I’d blinked to her location and caught her ex forcing himself on her, a violent maelstrom of emotions swept through me, raising my temperature a hundred degrees.
I’d wanted to rip him to shreds with my power. But acting on impulse would put the chances of receiving my wings in jeopardy, and I’d had time beyond memory to learn control.
Instead, I’d closed my eyelids and inhaled deeply, steeling my nerves, remembering my end goal: wings, Chosen status, and the utter decimation of my father.
So, I’d slid on gloves and blinked Brian ten feet away, letting him breathe a while longer while I improvised. And yet, even with my emotions firmly in hand, I didn’t relish him bullying and abusing the precious gift I’d been given...Phoebe.
When he’d begged Phoebe to give him a chance and she’d hesitated, something ugly had arisen inside my heart at the thought of his lips on hers again, and before I’d had a chance to ponder my next actions, I’d volunteered to take her to the idiotic masquerade.
What in damnation is wrong with me?It would be nothing but a silly party with silly humans and silly costumes. If I wasn’t careful, I would ruin the entire thing with a careless touch or an accidental glance.
Why, why, why had I been so desperate to ensure she didn’t go with him?
For the simple fact something suspiciously like jealousy had spiked in my blood, and I couldn’t imagine her with anyone else, much less one of the most disgusting humans I’d ever met. If Phoebe could’ve seen into his mind, she’d know his faithlessness to her over the past two years, how he yearned to hurt her for ending their relationship.
