Page 66 of Overcast

Those look different today. They glimmer with determination and something that I can’t put my finger on.

It doesn’t matter, Emmy struck out last night. My last hope took a shit, and we’ve come down to the end of the road.

“You never mentioned that Reagan Lockwood was your sister,” she mutters.

Oh, hell fucking no.

My hand is already fisting my shirt and hauling her off the furniture before I’m in her face, rage bubbling over my previous calmness.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” I sneer. Her palms find my chest, and my body reacts—fucking traitor—loosening up on my grip until she blinks, those long eyelashes seductively taunting me to forget everything that happened.

Everything that I wish didn’t take place.

“You told me. And Emmy Lou said—” And we’re back to my inner fury because now she knows.

Yeah, I did tell her. It fucking slipped. But I thought she was too fucking out of it to even hear me.

Now she’s aware that my family is at risk.

That I need help.

That I’m desperate as hell, and she’s the only one besides Hollis that has the answers I need.

“Your little girl talk makes you think you know everything?” I snarl. “That you have something on me?”

Her chest rises and falls with rapid breaths, grazing mine, and attempting to secure my attention elsewhere.

“No,” she quickly retorts. “I’m just...sorry.” I perk a brow. “For?” “For...you having to go through that. To be—” My arm wraps around her waist, and I press her closer to me, getting her to shut the hell up.

“I don’t want your apology. I want answers , sweetheart. Ones that you have in the palm of your hands yet won’t give me. So what do you want? Freedom, money, a new wardrobe? Because I’m ready to negotiate. Hollis put you there, I saw you there. There’s no point denying shit now.”

Her brows knit before her palms settle on my forearms, digging her nails into my flesh. “I wasn’t there.”

I wish I could enjoy this. To just stare at her without knowing what I have to do. That I’d be able to savor another side of Stormi that I know dwells inside her. She’s there, living and breathing in front of me, and I’m still going to crack her open. The slight discomfort in my skin from her nails only proves that she’s ready to break.

“We’re doing something different today,” I convey. “No more water.” She heaves a deep breath and holds it, waiting for me to reveal what the new thing is. Reaching behind me, I pull out a Zippo lighter, and she wrinkles her cute little nose.

If I’ve learned anything from Bishop, it’s that fire, and the searing burn gets people to move, speak, and break.

“Give me your hand.” I expected the look of “you’re out of your mind” but not the glower that she sends my way after it.

She’s a goddamn storm, alright. I’d love nothing more than to feel a lightning bolt of lust and kiss her right the fuck now. I watched her stare at me while I stroked my dick. She wanted to know what it was like, and I craved to lose myself inside her sweet pussy for a moment of pure peace.

“Now, sweetheart.”

She steps back, gets nowhere then shakes her head. “No.”

“There’s another route,” I vouch. “Anything you have that can point me in the direction of who hired you—”

“To kill your sister,” she finishes for me. “Are you fucking taunting me now?” I leer through my teeth, hating that she knows the vulnerability that lies within me. “You know. And you’re aware that I’ll fucking make your death a living hell if you don’t speak up.”

“I already told you,” she counters softly. “Please, you—” I squeeze her tighter, making her wince. I’m drained of all patience right now. I’m overworked with all our back and forth. It has to end. “We’re back to begging?” I chide through my teeth. “What happened to that look of determination that you just wore a minute ago?”

“I’m not—” “There are so many ways we can do this. I can burn you, light your clothes on fire and watch them char your skin as you attempt to put them out—which could be more entertaining.” She tries again to yank from my grasp. “Or, I can torch your pussy with this lighter so that you can’t—” She uses all of her body weight to pull from my grip, but I hold firmly onto her.

She’s fucking pissed.

Her face is red with fury, and I can’t say I’m mad that I get to see this. In fact, I’m hoping it helps her slip up with something.

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