Havoc rolls his eyes. “You’re not smooth.”
“Okay, second try.” Jester comes up behind me and uses my arm to wave at Havoc. “Goodbye, Havoc. We’ll see you on Thursday. Is that better?”
With the days blending, I forgot it’s almost July fourth. Which is also Discord’s birthday—because if anyone would be born on that day, of course it would be him. Apparently, this is a huge holiday because the Unholy plus independence equals a massive event. I remember the boys would dream of attending barbecues at Sanctum, and now they’re Mayhem royalty.
How far they’ve come.
Am I nervous that I’ll be Jester’s plus one? Not at all. I’ve met most of the Unholy this week, and they’ve been nothing but respectful toward me. Sure, we’ve all heard stories of their rowdy parties, but I’m a grown woman. I can handle a wild time—even one as legendary as Sanctum’s.
“You’re a dick,” Havoc growls. But he winks at me before walking toward the house, where he parked his Super Duty next to Jester’s Jeep. They brought my Charger over the day after the attack, and it’s currently tucked away safe and sound in the garage.
Discord has now texted me approximately a billion times, asking if he can borrow my car. Each text has become more comically desperate than the last. Like me, he has a thing for muscle cars. Too bad for him, there’s no chance I’ll ever hand my keys over to that menace to society.
And whoever gave him my number is getting kicked in the balls.
Once Havoc is gone and it’s just Jester and me, Mayhem is suddenly oddly claustrophobic. The air is hotter and heavier, which I thought was impossible since it’s already, like, a thousand degrees with humidity at a million. But here we are, and each breath is an effort as I contemplate diving into the river for a quick cooldown.
“If you’re not up to it, we don’t go to Sanctum.”
My eyebrows shoot up at his absurdity. “And miss an infamous Unholy barbecue? You must be outside your mind,” I say with feigned horror.
He pulls me in with a laugh and kisses the top of my head. He seems to like to do that, and I seem not to mind. “Why must you be so fucking cute?”
I lean back and stare up at this tall, broad, lethal deviant who spent years as the sole name on my Shit List. Those days are apparently over, though, because in my darkest moments, the truth came out. I needed him. Istillneed him. And I’m done denying it.
The contact of our bodies sends a delicious thrill through me. I slide my hands up his back and into his hair, fisting the soft, short strands. I rise on my tiptoes and pull his head lower. “Kiss me.”
Oh, God, his devious grin kills me. “No.”
My brows slam together as frustration and embarrassment clash. “Are you fucking kidding me?” I shove out of his hold, but Jester, a natural-born predator, walks me backward. When my back collides with a tree, I grab him by his white T-shirt to steady myself and match his steady stare. “What do you want from me, Jester?”
“It’s your turn, Fizzle.” He snakes an arm around me and pulls me against him. “You have to kiss me.”
Oh, I see this game he’s playing.Nice.
“Challenge accepted.” I take his measure. “But you’re too tall.” I tug him down, forcing him to sit. “We need to level the playing field.”
I straddle his lap and take a second to appreciate his power. His stunning male beauty. I relish the control he gives me. And then I take it, crushing my lips to his. I moan into his mouth when his erection kicks against me through his jeans. When I grind down against it, he answers by grabbing a fistful of my hair. Just the way I like it.
There’s a glorious freedom in letting go of my hatred for him. It makes it… okay… for me to enjoy him. To revel in this kiss. And oh, God, I do, having missed him so damn much. Missedthis. His taste and his touch, and when he draws back, the loss leaves me cold.
“And suddenly, I love my backyard,” he remarks with a laugh.
“I bet you do.”
But then he turns serious. “Does anything hurt?”
Only the empty ache between my legs.
“Not a thing. I told you, the noz worked. Stop worrying.” I grind my hips over his (very) impressive erection. He sucks in a sharp breath and grabs my ass. “See? All better.”
“You’re killing me, Faith.”
“Not yet I’m not.”
His growl is wonderfully feral, and when he pulls my head back to his and reclaims my mouth, there’s no doubt he’s seized control over this situation. Not a problem. We were always an inferno. Scorched earth. The flames so hot, they burned us both. Our relationship was too intense for teenagers, and when we ended, of course it had to happen in a vicious blaze. But the charred embers smoldered, and all it took was putting us together to rekindle the fire because here we are, with me unable to keep my hands off this man.
This beautiful, infuriating, playful, arrogant, seductive criminal.
