I settle for a half-hearted wriggle. “You’re being a caveman,” I grumble, trying to sound annoyed.
Dredyn’s hand slides up from my thighs to briefly squeeze my waist, holding me firmly in place. “You need some more insults. You’ve used that one before.”
He carries me through a doorway into a softly-lit room that looks like a luxurious living area—sleek leather sofas, modern art on the walls, floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing the moonlit lawn outside. The door clicks shut behind us, cocooning us in a hush. Finally, Dredyn eases me down off his shoulder, sliding my body along his front until my feet touch the cool wooden floor.
We stand there for a moment, just inches apart. I’m breathless from the manhandling and the adrenaline of the escape, and maybe from being pressed against his solid body. Dredyn hasn’t let go. His hands rest on my hips, holding me steady as I regain balance. My palms ended up against his chest in reflex, and I can feel the rapid thud of his heart beneath the soft cotton of his shirt. It’s racing as fast as mine.
Our eyes meet. The air between us feels charged, heavy with everything we’re not saying. I should step away. I should yell at him for the caveman routine, demand those answers I pretended were my reason for coming, but I don’t move.
I just stare up into Dredyn’s face—the face I’ve been trying so hard to banish from my mind. His dark brows are drawn, concern flickering over his expression even as he tries to smirk. He lifts a hand to my cheek, brushing back a strand of my hair that’s fallenforward. The gentle touch sends a lightning bolt of warmth through me.
“You’re okay,” he murmurs, almost to himself, and there’s a raw undertone to his voice.
I realize then—he was worried. Maybe he still is.
Something in my chest softens, even as I bristle outwardly. “Of course I’m okay,” I snap, attempting to reclaim my bravado. “Although, it’s a little hard to stay that way with you slinging me around like a sack of flour.”
His lips twitch, that ghost of a grin returning. “You’re far more precious than flour, Mara.”
I huff, not trusting myself to speak without betraying the stupid smile threatening to tug at my mouth.
I fold my arms over my chest, trying for nonchalance to mask the whirlwind inside me. “Well, I’m here,” I say quietly. “Now what?”
Dredyn’s eyes shine with a mix of hunger and reassurance as he steps closer once more, his voice low and sure. “Now,” he says, “you’re not going anywhere.”
He’s right. At this moment, I’m not going anywhere. Despite all my promises to myself, despite my guilt and my better judgment, I’m here with Dredyn. And the most dangerous truth of all? A part of me is undeniably, deliriously happy to be home.
TWENTY-EIGHT
MARA
“Icould keep you here. Not let you go back home.”
I roll my eyes. “That wouldn’t be smart.”
He leans down so close his breath brushes my cheek. “Smart stopped mattering the second you drove Milo’s Mercedes here, Hellcat.”
Talon’s throat clearing breaks the tension between Dredyn and I and my trance is broken. My eyes land on Talon who is sprawled casually on the large sectional sofa. One leg is stretched out, the other bent, his elbow resting on his knee.
The space around me is mostly black and white with some muted colors; it’s oddly cozy for something so modern. I take in the room until my eyes land on Jasper, lingering near the wall, half shrouded in shadow. His blond hair falls into his eyes, fresh from a shower.
Three different kinds of trouble, and I chose this. I climbed out of my window and drove straight into the wolf’s den. Maybe I should be terrified. Instead, my chest feels cracked open and wild.
“She’s got you there, Dre. It’s not exactlyprudentto stash the senator’s daughter in our love nest.”
“Love nest?” I repeat, blinking, my arms folded across my chest. “Whose house even is this?”
Talon raises his brows like I just asked what two plus two equals. “Mine.”
I blink again. “Yours?”
“Mhm.” He rises, sauntering closer. “Bought it the week after we made our little arrangement.”
I gape. “That was almost a month ago.”
“Exactly.” He spreads his arms as if presenting the place to me. “Needed something… off the map. Discreet.” His eyes gleam. “For when I knew your dad would do something like this.”
Heat flushes my cheeks before I can stop it. I glance at Jasper, who’s silent as ever. The only sane one among the three, and he’s choosing now to not say anything.
