Her cheeks deepen to a rich pink. I hear her breath catch in her throat, her pulse quickening. Her body is betraying her as she stands before me, wearing a mask of pure disgust on her face.
She lets out a huff before storming past me. I allow my fingertips to reach out and lightly graze the flesh on her hip as she passes. Her body shudders, but she doesn’t stop or acknowledge my touch. She grabs a towel and wraps it around her body before slamming the door behind her.
I grin a deep, mischievous grin.
Fuck, she’s going to be fun.
“You really think this is a good idea, bringing her along?” Clutch mutters beside me, twirling the toothpick in his mouth.
I stare him down. “You question my decision?”
He shrugs and shakes his head. “No. Just seems like it might be a little dangerous, and she’s the only mortal among us. She may see shit she cannot explain. Which means we either gotta reveal what and who we really are, which goes against the law, or we…” He pauses, his look saying what he can’t, or refuses to say.
Kill her.
My jaw tenses. “It won’t come to that. There are only the two of them. They are significantly outnumbered.”
“So, erm… why am I here?” Evelynn mutters anxiously behind me.
I hadn’t been fully transparent with her on where we were going. I couldn’t. If she were with them, she might try to warn them somehow. Not that I truly believed she was anymore. Either way, she is a threat to our very existence.
Her being here is a gamble, and not just on my life, but my brothers’, too.
“You’ll see,” Clutch answers. His normal playful demeanour is shut down.
The others—Silas, Talon, Marko, Shade, and Rook—are ahead, surrounding the small wooden farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. While I, Clutch, Viktor, and Echo stay back. I ordered Diesel to scout the perimeter, make sure they didn’t have any watchers.
We are standing far enough back, and, with the cover of darkness, Evelynn won’t be able to see them move at their usual speed, especially as Silas jumps from the ground through the first-floor window.
Gunshots ring out, the flashes from each shot lighting the darkness.
I don’t flinch. I don’t worry that my brothers are in danger. I know they are okay. I can feel it. Each of us can feel it.
Evelynn, on the other hand, is anything but calm. Her heartbeat is thundering in her chest, her breaths are short and fast. Her body is trembling; the sound of her body’s reaction is almost deafening.
My gaze slides to her. Her jaw is clenched tight as she fights to contain her trembling hands, clutching them into tight fists at her sides.
The corner of my mouth curves.
Stubborngirl.
She would sooner give herself a heart attack than admit she is scared.
Footsteps approach, catching my attention. I look to my left as Diesel approaches.
“No watchers, but as I made my way around the perimeter, I did find something that you may find of interest,” he says, his gaze constantly flickering to Evelynn. Lust and hunger dance in his eyes.
I curl my lip and release a low warning growl.
He immediately straightens and focuses on me.
“I do not have the time nor the patience to babysit you,” I growl.
“You won’t need to. I’m good,” Diesel assures me.
I chance a look at Viktor before addressing Diesel. “Take us there,” I order.
I turn to Evelynn and yank down her blindfold.
