Page 20 of Offside Angel

I pinch my lower lip between my teeth. “Yeah. That’s all of it.”

Without another word, Zane stands up and walks to the door.

“Where are you going?” I breathe.

Slowly, he bends down and grabs my bag from the floor. Then he holds out a hand to me. “We are going home.”

8

ZANE

“Are you sure about this, Zane?”

“Positive.”

Still, Mira hesitates, her hand hovering over the doorknob.

“It’s not one of those trick ones,” I reassure her. “It won’t shock you.”

She spins around and then stumbles back, surprised by how close I’m standing. I haven’t let her get more than a foot away from me since we left the motel. I’m not sure how I’ll ever be able to leave her again.

“Aiden is in there,” she states, as if it’s news to me. “You’re not just making this decision for yourself; it’s for both of you. I don’t know what my brother is going to do, and I don’t want to put Aiden in danger. Maybe I should stay at another motel tonight while you take time to?—”

I pin her against the closed door and silence her with a kiss. Her words shift to a helpless whimper against my lips. Then Mira is putty in my hands.

I could fuck her right here. On the doorstep, for whoever-the-fuck to see—I don’t give a damn. It’d be so easy to peel off her?—

It takes all of my self-control to pull away from her.

“I’m sure,” I growl. “Now, let’s go inside.”

Reeves and Jemma had to drop off Aiden an hour ago, so I called Evan in to watch him. He meets us at the door with a nod for me and a warm smile for Mira.

“It’s good to see you again, Mira.” He points down the hall. “Aiden is in his room. I’ll give you all a minute.”

Evan slips into the hallway without another word, like the consummate professional he is.

“What if he hates me?” Mira grabs my wrist, squeezing until there are pins and needles in my fingertips.

“He doesn't.”

“What if he’s mad at me for leaving him?”

“He isn't.”

“But what if he is?” she practically whimpers. “How am I supposed to explain all of this to him? He's too little to know why I had to leave, and I don't want to lie to him.”

I spin Mira against my chest and cradle her face. “If he's mad at you, then we'll figure it out together. As a family. Everything will be fine.”

She sighs and I feel a bit of tension drain out of her. “Are you going to kiss me again?”

I study her full lips for a beat too long. “Do I need to?”

“I wish you would,” she whispers. “It would be a nice distraction.”

I drift closer until we're a breath apart. “Later.”

She shivers and my God, I don't know how I'm going to get anything else done for days. Weeks. There’s too much of Mira that needs reclaiming.

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