Page 35 of Out of My Flocking Mind

What a stupid idea—I’d always know exactly how much faster and stronger than me he was. It wasn’t like seeing it in person—again—would change that.

He stopped when he was just in front of me, and his warm fingers brushed the marks at my throat. He touched them as though they were open wounds—maybe they were, for him at least. “Do you have any idea how much you terrify me?”

“Me? I’m not usually that scary a person,” I said, a soft laugh in my voice.

“Not much scares me because of my position as alpha. You, though? It seems each time you’re out of my sight, you disappear, and when you show back up? It’s with new enemies, new wounds, new troubles. You have no idea how much I wish I could lock you in a room and throw away the key.”

“You’re not the first to say that,” I said. “But you worry too much. No matter what happens, I always come out on top.”

“Until you don’t. No one can always come out on top. If anyone understands that, I do.” He shifted his hand to my cheek, rubbing his thumb against the flushed skin there. Of course, this time I knew that warm feeling had nothing to do with feeling under the weather. “I’ve been alpha for a long time, Grey, and I know how the world works. People only remain on top for so long, and all it takes is one lucky shot for them to fall. You’ve survived so far, but that doesn’t mean you always will. One of these times, something will get lucky. It’ll only take one good swipe, and that’s something that can’t be taken back.”

His words were so soft as he spoke to me, as if he hated having to admit any of this, as though he didn’t want to have to tell me but couldn’t stop himself.

And fuck, was he compelling. Maybe it was the pleading in his eyes, or the gentle tone of his voice, but something made me want to promise that I’d be fine. Maybe it was just me being stupid, me enjoying the idea of someone giving a damn about me.

However, I knew better than to give into that. My crow screeched in my head, telling me not to fall for it, knowing that trusting others, relying on them, was the end of everything. I couldn’t trust anyone like that, knew it led to downfall.

Still, I couldn’t get myself to push him away or reject him. He shifted his hand from my check to the back of my neck, then leaned in, pressing his lips to mine. They were soft and familiar, teasing and hot and comforting all at the same time. It was like he kissed me to tell me all the things he’d wanted me to understand, things he couldn’t bring himself to say outright.

And me? I lost myself in the same passion. My hands moved as though on their own, sliding up his chest and around his shoulders, clinging to him, wanting to lose myself in his body. I might not have any answers—at least, none that he’d want to hear—but I could savor this. He tilted his head, deepening the kiss, sliding his agile tongue past my lips to tease my own.

I wrapped my leg around him, pulling him closer, ready to strip him down on the spot. I felt rushed suddenly, like we were teenagers who belonged in exactly this sort of situation, struggling against need while trying not to get caught.

I had no idea if it was him or me or both of us. Most likely, it was a combination, of the years we’d resisted this. It felt like we’d always headed this way, like it had been impossible for us to avoid arriving exactly here.

I wouldn’t cock block the teenagers, so I sure as fuck wouldn’t cock block myself, either.

“Is this really the place?” Harrison’s voice broke the moment, bringing me back to reality.

And reality sucked, because reality didn’t have me getting laid right then.

Galen released a growl that sent a shudder through me. It had me considering how that would feel if he made such a sound when he was between my thighs, if it would send a dangerous and pleasant vibration right through my cunt.

Talk about something to add to my bucket list…

Except I had a feeling that wouldn’t happen right now, so I broke the kiss and dropped my forehead against Galen’s solid chest, glad to at least find it rising and falling in rapid succession, showing he was just as affected as I was.

He extracted himself from my grip, then took a step backward. Something wild rested in his eyes, a hint at the beast that lived beneath his skin. And why the fuck did that do sinful things to me?

Galen turned a vicious look on Harrison, one that would make most sane men take one big fucking step backward. “If anything happens to her, I will hold you personally responsible.”

That sounded like a pointless threat, but I knew better. Galen was in a position to make that Harrison’s problem, to pose one hell of a danger to him. Not that Harrison appeared all that worried. He didn’t so much as flinch in response. “If you wish for her to remain safe, I would suggest you stay out of our business. Your presence only further complicates and endangers her.”

Galen lifted his lip on one side, baring his teeth in a snarl, before he turned and stormed out of the room.

It left Harrison and me alone, and I suddenly felt like a kid caught with a boy. Which, I sort of had been.

“He is going to cause you problems,” Harrison said.

“Of course he is—he’s a man. In my experience, you all mostly cause problems in my life.”

Harrison shook his head, but didn’t argue my point. Instead, he gestured for me to follow.

It seemed day three of my drug dealer life had come to a close, and I hadn’t even gotten an orgasm out of it.

Maybe I wasn’t as good at being a criminal as I liked to think…

Chapter Nine

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