Page 14 of Blood of Vengeance

A knock sounded on the door just as I got myself pulled together enough to not feel nauseated.

“Yeah?”

“Breakfast. Let’s go.”

I took a deep breath and stretched, then threw off the blanket and rose to my feet, still a little wobbly but better than ten seconds before. Instead of hurrying out the door, I grabbed my phone and tapped into a new note, typing out all the details I could remember from my dream. The shadows, the stars, the few sights I could make out beyond the lights from my dad’s truck. Everything. I was still typing when Flinch yelled my name from beyond the door, so I rushed out into the hallway while continuing to type. Not giving any thought to the fact that I had slept in nothing but a T-shirt.

A T-shirt that barely covered my ass.

“Good morn—” Flinch turned and froze mid-word, his cool eyes sliding all the way down my body as I became fully aware of how little the shirt covered. I ran one foot up the other leg, sort of crossing them while standing, as his weighted gaze raised goose bumps from one end of me to the other.

“Sorry,” I said, tugging on the hem of the shirt as if I could magically make it longer. “I can get dressed.”

“No need.” He nodded toward the table in the corner, keeping his eyes decidedly off my legs. “Sit and eat. We’ve got to head for the club soon.”

I did as I’d been told, settling onto a chair at the table. Happy to be covered by the furniture itself. Flinch set a plate in front of me piled high with eggs, bacon, fruit, and a biscuit. He then set down a glass of water right next to the coffee cup filled with dark brew.

I had no idea where to start. “This is all…too much.”

“You didn’t eat last night.”

“I grabbed an apple.”

“And some crackers. That’s not a meal.”

I shrugged. “It was for me.”

“I told you there were snacks. I thought you’d eat more.”

“I didn’t have much of an appetite.” I picked up the biscuit and tore off a piece. “Plus, I didn’t want to be a bother.”

“How about you be a bother instead of starving to death under my roof?” He plopped onto the seat across from me. “Now, eat.”

Since I’d already set the precedent of following his directions, I kept that up, diving into my breakfast with gusto. I hadn’t even realized or thought about how hungry I had been until the smell of all that food surrounded me. I didn’t speak, barely came up for air, as I devoured everything he’d put on my plate. And when I finished, I looked up to find Flinch staring at me with more heat in his eyes than I had been prepared for.

“What?” I asked, wiping around my mouth with a napkin in case I had made a mess. “You said to eat.”

“I did. And you ate.” His lips kicked up into what I had a feeling was supposed to be a smile but looked more like the man had just won something I wouldn’t have wanted to put up for a bet. “Good girl.”

I shivered. Unable not to as some sort of electricity burned its way from my heart to between my legs and back at those two words. His smile ratcheted up a notch, which only made him look like more of a threat.

“I need to finish getting ready.” I rose from my seat and grabbed my plate, shaky and uncomfortable but also wanting to throw myself at Flinch and see if I could wipe that expression from his mouth. Punch it off or kiss it off, didn’t really matter at that moment. I just wanted it gone.

He grabbed my plate, stepping way closer than needed. Moving into my space and brushing my arm with his. “I’ve got this. Go get ready. Do you need to shower?”

“No. I did that last night.”

“Good. I want to be on the road in fifteen.”

I nodded and hurried down the hall, escaping to the quiet of Flinch’s bedroom. It took me a few minutes of deep breathing and a quick makeup session to settle my nerves and be ready to return to the living area of the house. The empty house. I followed the rumble of his motorcycle engine out the back door to where he sat, waiting for me.

“Hey,” I said, pointing over my shoulder. “How do I lock up?”

“You don’t.” He held up his phone. “The locks will set once I leave the property. Now get your ass on my bike.”

I shut the door behind me and headed over, swinging my leg up and over the back of the seat. Like the night before, Flinch gave me a moment to find my balance and settle in. And like the night before, I wrapped my arms around his waist and curved my body against his back.

“Ready?”

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