"The world is fucked, Princess," he says in that blank tone he always used when one of us asked too many questions about the bruises on his arms. "Always has been. Marco knew the rules of engagement, and he chose to fuck up. That's on him. Not you."
I want to argue, but the words die in my throat.
What's the point? This isn't my Jinx anymore. No more than it's my Kade back in that room.
"Come on," he says, his voice gentling. It's the only sign of emotion he's shown since that shot rang out, and even then, I'm pretty sure he was more pissed about the rug than Marco's death. "Let's get you back to the house."
I nod, giving myself over to the numbness that's already prickling in the back of my brain like an itch.
Maybe it's the same numbness that's infected all of them.
Chapter 24
JINX
"If you putyour dick in her pussy or her ass, I willkillyou."
Kade's voice crackles through the phone and I roll my eyes even though he can't see me. "She's in her room, traumatized because you just shot a guy in front of her. What part of this situation makes you thinkfuckingis on the table?"
"I know exactly what your idea of comfort is," he says because he's a complete douchebag.
Correct, but a douchebag nonetheless.
"Does that mean everything else is fair game?"
The silence on the other end is damning. I can practically hear his internal monologue, analyzing how many ways he can make me suffer if I cross this particular line.
"I said what I said," he finally growls. "And there are cameras everywhere, Jinx.Everywhere. I'll know."
I glance up at the corner where I know Cyrus has one of his little spy toys hidden and wave at it like I'm greeting an old friend. Or telling him to fuck off. Same thing. "Yeah, well, you can enjoy the show then.Ifour new pet decides she happens to want eight inches of comfort administered orally."
"Jinx—"
"Try not to kill anyone else," I interrupt, because I can already hear the lecture building. "The cleanup crew's been working overtime. Pretty sure Jackal is about to ask for hazard pay."
Kade's dark laugh makes the hair on my arms stand up. "No promises. They're paid well."
I wait a beat, trying to talk myself into leaving well enough alone. "You know, you could have waited until she was out of the room."
"I covered her eyes, didn't I?"
"Yeah, yeah. You're a real fucking gentleman. Go intimidate Carson or whatever the fuck you're doing. I've got princess-sitting duty."
He hangs up without another word. Thefuck offis unspoken but understood. I toss the phone onto the coffee table and stretch until my bones pop, every muscle in my body still aching from this morning's chase through the woods.
The way she ran from me…
Like a rabbit with wolves nipping at her heels, full of panic and adrenaline and that sweet, sweet fear. And when I caught her, when she went all soft and pliant beneath me, grinding up like she wanted me to forget every rule Kade ever made?—
My cock twitches at the memory, already half-hard from replaying those moments. The way her pupils dilated when I pinned her wrists. How her thighs clenched around my hips like she was trying to keep me there.
That breathy challenge in her voice when she asked what I was going to do with her.
Fuck.
I need to check on her. Make sure she's not having a complete breakdown after watching Kade execute a man for making a crude comment.
But my feet carry me to Cyrus's door instead, knuckles rapping against the wood in our old pattern. Three taps, pause, two taps.
