Page 38 of Haven

I hated that she knew so much about me; how to comfort me when I was scared, what to do if I had a panic attack. Her touch made me feel alive.

I shook my head. “Uhm, I saw someone on the cameras, but I didn't recognize them. They left flowers.”

She arched her brow. “Flowers? Why didn’t you tell me when you called?”

“Because you would have told Cinder and she would have raised hell. I’m not pressed about it yet.”

“Rory—”

“Widow, I’m okay. I called you cause I wanted you to walk me home, er well, ride home with me.”

“Okay, what do you need to finish?”

“I’m done. I just need to lock my safe and put things away and we can go.”

It took fifteen minutes for me to finish everything before I stepped back into the main foyer of my shop. I glanced at Widow and my God, she looked sinful. Widow always looked hot as hell, but there was something different today. Maybe it was because she wasn’t wearing her jacket and I could see her tattoos and biceps. She peeked at me, her fingers running through her hair and pushing it back.

She was trying to kill me.

I was about to make a mistake, but I was never great at making good choices.

“Widow,” I called. Don’t do this, Rory. You're going to break your heart even more. “I know something that’ll make me feel better.”

She arched her brow, and I closed the space between us. I wrapped my arms around her neck and brushed my lips against hers. I was waiting for her to push me away, but instead she sealed her lips with mine. Oh, fuck yes. Even if this was just to make me feel better, she was kissing me. How could Cinder not want me to be happy when I felt butterflies with Widow?

At this moment I knew Widow wanted me back because she returned the kiss. The only reason she didn’t chase me was because of my sister. It took a total of ten seconds before she pushed me back, but ten seconds was plenty of time to get what I needed. I was teasing myself, but that was why I had several vibrators in my nightstand.

“Phoenix,” Widow whispered like she was still contemplating on stopping this.

“Sorry. I wanted a kiss, and it seems you did, too. Think of it as a thank you…for everything.”

And before she had the chance to argue, I scurried out the front door. I would deal with the consequences later, but I was tired of not being allowed my happiness because of my sister’s fear.

Thirty-Two

Widow

Someone wanted to die today. I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and glared at the screen. It was ten in the goddamn morning. Did Vesper ever fucking sleep? I knew I should have gone to my cabin after Rory kissed me last night, but I stayed at the clubhouse in case she needed me. I was a glutton for punishment.

Vesper

911 @ pier. Get here. Now. Bring Cin.

Whatever it was, had to be important or she wouldn’t have me poking the bear this early. Cin was a monster if she didn’t get her beauty sleep. I rolled out of bed, slipping into jeans and a black tee, running my fingers through my shortcut as I left my room. Cin got home at five last night and, knowing her, she had just fallen asleep.

Vesper better have something serious or we would both kill her. We had already faced one issue this week; we didn’t need any more. My hand collided with Cin’s door, waiting for her to chop my head off, but she opened it with a disheveled look and sleep in her eyes. Her brow arched as she glared at me.

“Vesper has something for us at the pier. We are both needed. It sounded urgent.” She grunted, closing her door, and I heard her shuffling around in the room.

As I walked past Rory’s door, I was tempted to peek inside to see if she was awake or even at the clubhouse. She was never home, staying either at her tattoo shop or off on an adventure. I didn’t know what she did, but I tried not to pry. Having her hate me and keeping my distance was best for everyone. It was the best way to protect her from getting hurt again. If I broke her heart a second time, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.

I had made a pot of coffee and downed a cup by the time Cinder met me in the kitchen. She was a bitch if she didn’t have coffee. Before she could say anything else, I handed her the black mug and she took a few big gulps. “What is this about?”

“No clue. V said it was urgent, so we should get going.” Cin looked upstairs, and it didn't take a genius to know what was going through her mind, her protective instincts roaring. “She’s twenty-six, not two. She’ll be fine. Let's go.”

The twenty-minute ride to the pier was quick as our bikes flew through the busy streets, weaving between honking cars and pedestrians. The wind whipped at my face, adrenaline pumping through my veins as I revved the throttle. The city was alive, but my mind was on whatever Vesper had waiting for us. After the fire at the pier, I hadn’t expected anything so soon. Parker said they didn’t find any incriminating evidence that Axel was behind it. We couldn’t go in there guns blazing based on a thought.

Something was off.