Page 49 of These Deadly Dreams

“Let’s go inside. I’ll make you some dinner.” I pull away, dropping a quick kiss to the top of her head.

She grabs my forearm, halting me. “Just, keep an open mind,” she pleads. “If you ever need to go back, I will completely understand. And I’ll support you. Always.”

This is why I love her. I give her a kiss, before tugging her back inside to the comfort of the cabin.

“It smells like a human bonfire in here.” Kai steps behind me and shoves his head over my shoulder, sniffing. “Whatcha making?”

“A human bonfire?” I mutter, leaning back into his body. “You are so fucking weird. I’m making me and Ellis hamburgers. But, since there’s no grill, I’m doing it on the stove.”

“Oh, so a cow bonfire. I was close.” His chest moves against my back as he shrugs.

“Still, so incredibly, fucking weird.” I flip the burgers, and the sizzling renews with vigor as the juices seep from the other side of the patty.

Kai nuzzles my neck, his tongue teasing the bite mark he left not too long ago. “Yeah, but you love it,” His voice has deepened, and it vibrates his chest against my back.

I shiver as heat spreads through my body. Damn, those bite marks are really fucking sensitive. “Mmm,” is the only thing I can say to reply. My throat seems to have dried up, and my tongue is stuck to the roof of my mouth. I tilt my head to the side, exposing my neck even more, and Kai’s hands travel over my abs and down lower, past the waistband of my pants.

“Stop distracting him, Malakai!” Ellis’s voice calls from the living room. “I’m really hungry and burnt burgers do not sound appetizing.”

Kai’s hands freeze as if he’s just been caught doing something he shouldn’t. “Damn,” he whispers. He kisses the mark and backs away. “Can’t let her starve, now can we?”

I shake myself, trying to tamp down the desire Kai drug up in me. The burgers are pretty much done, so I reach for the plate with buns and drop a burger on each one. “Can you grab the ketchup and some waters?” I ask Kai, and pick up the plate of fixings I prepared earlier.

In the living room, I set the food on the coffee table and sit on the floor. Ellis slides down the front of the couch to join me. Making our burgers together is such a domestic activity, and my heart aches for the time when we'll be able to do this without threats hanging over our heads.

“We should probably take this time to figure out a plan for meeting Kennedy, Ellis.” Kai sets the ketchup and waters on the table and sits across from us. “I want at least two backup plans in case things go to shit.”

“Shouldn’t we wait for Sterling?” Her voice is so quiet, the trembling of her words is barely noticeable. But it’s there.

“I really want to get this settled. It’s one less thing we would have to worry about.” Kai leans back on his hands. “Besides, I don’t think Kennedy is very fond of him. It’s probably best if he isn’t there.”

“What about you?” She turns to look at me, burger forgotten in her hands.

“What about me?” I ask, although I already know what she’s thinking.

“Is it a good idea to make him mad when he has your mom and sister?” Worry pinches her brow, creating a crease between her eyes.

Rubbing the wrinkle away with my thumb, I give her a reassuring smile. “I won’t be there.” Her eyes flare with concern, so I quickly continue. “I mean, I’ll be there, but I won’t be with you. I plan on keeping my distance, but staying close enough in case of trouble.”

She nods reluctantly, and sets her burger on the plate. “So, what’s the plan then?”

Kai nods to her uneaten food. “Eat while I tell you.”

She levels a flat stare at him, but grabs her burger and takes a bite. All without breaking eye contact with him. With one raised brow, she says, “Better?” the word distorted around her half chewed food.

He snorts, but draws one leg up to rest his forearm on. “We’ll meet somewhere neutral and public. I want us to get there early, and scan the area for any threats and make sure he abides by our rules of bringing no one with him. While we meet with him, Cade will keep his distance but remain in our line of sight in case we need his help.”

“It might be a good idea to have some sort of signal for us to look for,” I chime in. “That way, if one of us spots something we can signal and get the hell out of there.”

“Good idea,” Kai nods.

“Where are we going to meet him?” Ellis asks around a bite of food. I’m happy to see her eating. Since we met her, she’s already put on some weight, filling out where she was too skinny.

“What’s a good public place?” I ask, taking a bite of my own burger.

“What about River’s Edge?” Ellis offers. “It’s right along the river, in the center of everything.”

“I think that would work.” Kai nods. “There’s a good vantage point a couple of buildings up the street, too. Cade could hang there and keep an eye on us.”

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