Page 48 of The Huntress and Her Hound

“Can you at least walk me home?”

I eye her. “We’re going to the same place, so yeah.”

She sighs, and removes her rabbit mask, giving me a full view of her fucking stunning face. I look away from her, my mind instantly wishing I would have fisted her ponytail and forced her mouth around my cock. I pop my jaw and push it away. Whatever fucking arrangement she’s trying to offer, I know I’ll take it.

Even if Henry will kill me.

I rub my forehead at that thought. This entire situation is like loading a bullet in a gun and then handing it to the Bayne siblings to point at me. I’m the one with the greatest risk—but she’s worth it. Now that I’ve fucking touched her, I know it for sure.

Cher’s fingers brush mine. “You said you’ve had girlfriends?”

I don’t look at her. “Yeah.”

“How many?”

“Uh, plenty,” I answer. “But only three that lasted longer than a few months. It was all before I got busted. It’s never worked out with anyone after that.”

“Probably because you’re too busy sucking my brother’s dick,” she laughs, her tone difficult to read.

“I don’t swing that way.” I eye her.

She doesn’t say anything to that, falling silent for a few beats. “I don’t want to go home.”

I take a deep breath. “I’m not going on some man-hunting escapade with you. I’m no wingman.”

“I told you, I won’t do that anymore.” Her voice comes out confident in a shallow way, and I don’t miss the air of uncertainty in it. “You just have to be patient—and not leave me after you...you know.”

I chuckle at the childish way she says it, a glimpse of innocence simmering beneath her reddening cheeks. “Okay, fine, but I have to get back. I have to do my job. Your brother is already questioning me.”

“You do suck his dick,” she mutters under her breath, but the way she slides her fingers through mine makes up for the comment. We walk hand in hand back to the apartment, not saying much of anything. I feel like I’m fucking fifteen again, walking home from school with my new girlfriend.

Except she’s not my girlfriend.

And I don’t trust a single fucking word that comes out of her pretty mouth.

Chapter 18

The Huntress

It was a huge risk.

But it felt so fucking good to douse a random horny stranger with drugs before slipping off with Jude. It gave me the exact confidence boost I needed to pursue something slow and steady with my brother’s best friend. Maybe now, I won’t get sick after I orgasm. Maybe slowly, but surely, I can become normal.

And stop killing assholes.

I punch in the keycode to the apartment door, halfway wondering if Henry will be waiting just inside like before. His presence makes this entire escapade with Jude more complicated, but I’ve started to realize his best friend might be able to help me escape the hell in my mind... No one else has ever made the voices go away—even if it’s fleeting for now.

“We should probably go in separately,” Jude says from behind me. “I really don’t feel like dying tonight.”

“I’ll see if he’s still up.” I push the door in, and step inside, my eyes scanning the flat. I unzip the boots and slip out of them. Quietly, I make my way through the dark kitchen, living room, and then peer down the hallway. My brother is creepy as fuck, so I know he could be waiting in the shadows if he really wanted to.

But he’s not.

I return to the front door, and open it, letting Jude inside. “We’re good,” I whisper. The look of relief on his face nearly has me laughing, and the secrecy has my body responding in ways I wasn’t expecting... And I like it. However, the promise I made Jude about not fucking anyone else is a complicated one.

I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle not getting my mental release. He only quiets the voices when he’s there. The moment he left, I had to take care of myself—and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep them from swallowing me whole like before.

Jude breaks my thoughts as his arm brushes mine. “I’m going to bed.” His voice is still flat with defeat, and I get it—I do. What he saw looked...bad. But I’d never have let that guy do anything other than drink my poison.

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