I let out an irritated huff. “We should split up?—”
“Yeah, I’ve seen this movie before. Only the chick survives.” Kai points to the study. “There.” He moves his finger towards Bastian’s bedroom. “Then there.”
He sidles off toward the study, and I force myself to follow.
That room creeps me out. Not just the weird artwork, but whatever might be behind that secret door.
I know it’s going to distract Kai. He’s been making up mysteries ever since we were kids. Whenever we found something weird in the woods—a slip of paper, an abandoned wallet, rusted tin cans—he’d make up some elaborate story about a kidnapping gone wrong, or fugitives hiding from the police.
What’s he going to say about Bastian’s study?
Kai steps into the passage. I’m about to follow when movement catches my eye. I turn to look and on instinct, snatch Kai’s wrist, digging my nails into his skin to signal him to stop.
“Jesus, what…” He trails off when he sees my face, and slowly steps back into the main living area.
Bastian leans against the edge of the partition dividing his bedroom from the rest of the house. He’s in sweatpants and a black cotton robe that exposes a generous slice of his toned chest and abs. Looking all calm and controlled, despite his bruised, cut lip where Kai bit him. If it hurts, he doesn’t show it.
“Not even a note?” he asks, one side of his mouth quirking up into an almost-smile. “I’m insulted.”
I’m sure I should be having all sorts of feelings and questions right now, but all I can think about is how both these men claimed pieces of me last night that I’ll never get back. I mean, Bastian forced Kai to take my virginity…while he watched. And then he got a piece of the action too. But it’s as if someone cracked open my skull and scooped out all my brains.
There’s one feeling that’s coming up, though.
I’m ready to give up breathing just to watch Bastian strip out of that?—
Kai steps in front of me, blocking out Bastian…and all the dirty thoughts I was about to have.
It would’ve been a sweet gesture, him protecting me, but it feels condescending.
I can look after myself. Have been for fucking years.
My eyes climb up his back, taking in every damp, tensed muscle. He’s gotten more scars since I last saw him. From contact sports, or Ezra’s fists?
We have so much to talk about.
But Kai doesn’t want to talk. He just wants to fuck or fight.
“You think we’re going to hang around after the shit you pulled, you psychotic cunt?” Kai’s voice is a low, threatening rasp.
Bastian’s reply is a smooth and calm. “Sounds like someone’s serotonin levels are woefully depleted.” He enters the kitchen, turning his back on us to open the fridge. “The human brain only produces about ten milligrams of serotonin a day. It’ll take days for you to return to baseline, depending on how much MDMA you took.”
Kai gives me a quick glance over his shoulder, widening his green eyes meaningfully at me. But whatever he’s trying to convey, I don’t fucking get it.
I shrug up at him. “What?” I whisper.
“Get your keys from him,” he hisses, grabbing my arm and practically shoving me toward the kitchen.
So much for protecting me. He’s ready to feed me to the lion as long as he gets out of the den alive.
Bastian turns, containers of fresh fruit and veggies piled in his arms.
I open my mouth to ask for my keys, but he shifts his gaze to the kitchen stools and says, “I’ll call you two an Uber. But first, let’s try to mitigate the oxidative stress you’ve put on your poor neurons, shall we?”
I seriously don’t need his psychobabble right now.
And I’m not even hungry.
But the stuff he lays out on the table looks so vibrant and healthy. And here I am, leeched of color like a cut under a wet bandaid.
