“Unless you like it,” he says.
I roll my eyes.
“It’s a kiss, Delilah, not the fucking Olympics.” He laughs, shaking his head.
My lips twitch and I shake my head, as well. I’m being ridiculous. It’s not like it’s sex, but somehow this feels more intimate. Still, I’m doing this. Wade looks at me for a moment, his eyes searching mine as he takes one step forward.
He takes another step and I can smell the whiskey he drank earlier. I shut my eyes and tilt my head slightly.
“Put your lips on her and I’ll make you swallow your fucking teeth.” The voice is so unexpected, so low and raw, that every cell in my body goes on high alert.
So many things happen at once: I jolt, my eyes pop open, my heart pounds HARD then sinks into my stomach, and I stop breathing. I practically jump away from Wade, who’s also taking a step back since he has no idea what’s happening. I’m still not breathing as I turn in the direction the voice came from, and find myself staring into a pair of green eyes. I set a hand on the brick wall to steady myself, as my legs begin to shake and my head starts feeling light. I think I’m fainting. I make some sort of noise — half gasp, half scream — as I take him in. Lachlan James Duke is here.Here. And he’s looking at me like he wants to murder me.
CHAPTER28
DELILAH
“Who the fuck are you?”Wade glares at him and steps closer to me as if to protect me.
I raise my arm up to keep some distance between myself and Wade, because Lach looks like he might snap his neck. He looks like he might snap mine. I take in his all-black attire and overall appearance. His face, still so handsome and sculpted, has stubble, as if he hasn’t shaved in a few days, and this somehow makes him look even sexier. His jaw is tight as his incensed gaze burns into me. Suddenly, I realize he’s the one my gut warned me about, and I get it. The man standing in front of me needs to be announced by loud bells and trumpets. I swear, even pissed off, he’s hotter than he used to be. I can’t seem to form words. I can’t speak, can’t think.
“Dude, seriously, what do you want?” Wade asks after a few seconds.
Lachlan’s jaw tenses. “You have something that belongs to me and I need it back.”
Something that belongs to me.OhmygodImgonnafuckingdie.
“What the f—” Wade starts.
Lachlan’s eyes are so dark right now, they almost look black. He doesn’t let Wade get another word in, or maybe he does. I don’t know and it doesn’t matter. He lunges forward, wraps an arm around me, lifts me off the ground, and slams his mouth on mine. I whimper. It’s a savage kiss. An angry kiss. One I know will leave a mark on more than just my lips. I instinctively wrap my arms around him and deepen the kiss. He growls into my mouth, a rumbled sound that ping-pongs inside my body. The world evaporates. He doesn’t savor me, he devours me. He kisses me as if he’s making up for every minute and every day we’ve been apart, as if he’s punishing me for it. In the back of my mind, I know our tongues need to stop sparring, and we need to separate, but I don’t want it to and I can tell he doesn’t either. I feel his reluctance as he pulls away. A protesting sound forms in the back of my throat. We’re still holding onto each other, both panting, searching each other’s eyes, trying to make sure we’re not mirages. In his eyes, I see heat, longing, and anger. So much anger. It sends a shiver down my spine. I’ve seen him angry before, of course, but never at me. Because of me, sure, but not directed at me. I know I deserve every bit of it, but it doesn’t hurt any less.
“You said you don’t kiss,” Wade says. He’s definitely still a little tipsy. “Holy shit. You’re the guy.”
“Yeah.” Lach doesn’t take his gaze off me. “I’m the guy.”
I shut my eyes for a moment. When I open them, I start turning my face toward Wade to say something, but Lachlan brings his hand up and grabs my jaw hard to keep my eyes on his. It’s at this moment that I realize that he’s gripping me the way a snake would its prey. I can’t tell if he’s holding me because he missed me, or if he’s holding me hostage in case I disappear again. When he lets go of my face, I stare at him for a moment longer before I try to look over at Wade again. Lach grabs my chin again, moving my face to the position it was in.
“Don’t you dare,” he seethes under his breath.
“Lach,” I breathe.
“Don’t fucking look at him.” His grip on my back gets tighter.
“I have to get rid of him,” I whisper. I really don’t want Lachlan to beat the shit out of Wade and I know he will. I’ve seen this look. “I have to say goodbye, though.” He doesn’t budge. “Lachlan, please.”
“Make it quick.” He makes a disgruntled sound but lowers me until my feet touch the ground and lets me go.
He takes half a step back and crosses his arms. For a moment, I just stare at him. I can barely process what’s happening. One minute, I’m thinking about Lach the way I do every freaking day, and the next, he’s here and his lips are on mine. I don’t know what I’m even supposed to say to Wade, but I have to saysomething. My knees are still shaky, but I manage to face him. At least he looks less drunk.
“Thanks for dinner and drinks,” I say, taking a breath. “I. . .I’m sorry.”
“Delilah.” He blinks hard, shoots Lach a look, and focuses on me again. “Come on.”
He says it in the same tone you make when the referee makes a call you don’t agree with.
“You’re ending our fate because of him?” He asks in disbelief. Yeah, he’s definitely still a little drunk.
I swear Lach growls.
