Page 86 of Sawyer

“Baby girl, I’d throw myself in front of a bullet for you.”

“So you want me to dive for bullets?”

His smile is partial as he shakes his head. “Fight for all your worth if you need to and then come home to me.”

Home.

What the hell am I supposed to say to that? “Don’t let me out of your sight.”

“Never.”

“You talk a big game, Rumor.”

“I don’t make promises I can’t keep,” he whispers before ambling over to me and invading my space. His lips press slowly to mine, as though he needs to savor this moment as much as I do. He pours that promise into his kiss, making my eyes burn with unshed tears.

No matter how much I try to pull away from this trio, they keep yanking me back into their orbit. Eventually, I’ll become so wrapped up in them I’ll never be able to untangle myself.

I break the kiss and whisper, “Let’s go.”

My fingers press to my tingling lips as I walk out the door and into the approaching night. Ahead, Sin and Bryn load the last of our packs in and slam the hatch.

“Shotgun!” My claim meets with a chorus of fake groans, but I sit in the passenger seat with glee. Once we’re all settled, I ask the question that makes me nauseous to even contemplate. “Who’s your supplier?”

“I don’t like it when you ask a question and don’t want to know the answer,” Rumor grumbles at me.

“I haven’t had the best of luck with mages in the past,” I admit. “Though I assumed we’d be utilizing a mage for scent suppressants.”

“We are,” Bryn answers from the back. “Though I want to know more about the mage you used for your stimulants.”

Either I tell them or I lie, and it seems like their penchant for honesty is rubbing off on me far too fast for my liking. “He wasn’t the best mage. Lecherous most days, condescending on others. He operates out of a drug house in the slums.”

“We will have to talk about the danger you put yourself in, Sawyer,” Rumor rumbles.

“And taking me into the Oak Mountains is any better?” I shouldn’t tease him.

“I’ll pull this car over right now if I need to, Sawyer, and spank your ass.” Rumor jerks the wheel to the side.

Laughing, I reach out and straighten it. “What is with you guys and insisting on spanking me?”

I don’t expect an answer, but damn, I should have known they’d give me one anyway. “We are doing this again?” Bryn leans between the seats. “I want to watch you twitch while I slap your ass and see your pussy drip for me.”

I turn in my seat to look at him. “It’s like each of you are trying to one-up each other to see who can turn me on the most with your words.”

“Challenge accepted.” Sin yanks Bryn back.

“No!” Rumor’s voice cuts through the SUV. “If you turn her on out there, you risk her life. The suppressants will only be able to do so much.”

“That is a problem.” Sin’s face scrunches up as though he’s already trying to solve that difficulty.

“I can’t control my arousal.” I turn to Rumor.

“You’re going to have to, baby girl.” Rumor pulls into a parking spot outside a little mage shop in downtown Central City. We’re in the middle-class shopping district. It’s nice here, with beautiful brownstone stores and trees along the walkway.

“The Shadier Dragon.” I snort at the name. “The name implies there’s more than one.”

“She has a few,” Rumor hedges.

My door opens as I stare at the shop between a café and a bookstore.

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