Page 72 of Fire Fight

“You must be cold,” she says as goosebumps of anticipation spread across my skin. “We should get back to the house.”

“Mm.” I shift as though I’m about to start the car, then relax into my seat. “But first we need to discuss your forfeit.”

“I’ve already done it.”

“You’ve done itonce.But here you are in my car again.” Her tiny gasp is a mouth-watering taster, but I’m greedy for more. “How’s my writing doing?” I shift in my seat, leaning back against the door, almost facing her. “Let’s have a peek at your chest.”

“No.” She folds her arms. “I’ll walk home if I have to.”

“On the narrow, winding street with no footpath on either side.” I tilt my head and grin. “Pretty reckless, don’t you think?” She ducks her head, not answering, and I can’t resist goading her. “If it helps, just close your eyes and pretend I’m Hudson.”

Her shoulders hunch to her ears as she shrinks against her door.

The last time, my reactions took me hostage, leaving me vulnerable when I needed strength. She’d batted away myadmission, choosing the perceived safety of our neighbour when I wasn’t the danger.

This time, I’ve come prepared.

I lean across her, taking the roll of packaging tape from the open glove box while her face drains of colour. “What are you d—”

She breaks off as I haul her into my lap, catching her arms behind her. The tape goes around and around her wrists to secure them together, expanding to the steering column and wheel until she’s trapped in place.

“Let me go or I’ll scream.”

“Go ahead.” I bend my head forward until my brow presses against hers. “There’s nobody back here to hear you.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

CADENCE

I can’t keep track.Drake came flying to my rescue like a freaking superhero; now he’s switched into the villain.

My arms hurt where I pulled muscles trying to escape his firm grip and liberal use of tape. Now, I glare, wary of what he might do next while my heart thuds hard enough for colours to pulse in my eyes.

Drake smirks and the pressure inside my head increases another notch until I’m close to fainting.

“That’s better,” he whispers, curling his fingers into the back of my hair, his cool touch soothing away the pounding in my temples.

My legs are spread wide, straddling him. When I raise up, trying to shift them together, a hand on my shoulder pushes me down, the weight implacable.

“Help,” I shout, the sound scaring me because the girl making that noise is desperate.

Drake just chuckles, holding a forefinger to my lips. “Shh. Even if someone heard, do you really want them to find you trussed like a chicken?”

“Better a stranger than you.”

He claps a hand to his heart, mocking me, and anger replaces fear as I struggle, chafing my wrists and twisting the tendons in my shoulders in a vain attempt to get free.

He scares me. He does.

But there’s a fluttering sensation in my stomach when his dark eyes lock to mine, stroking the side of my head as I give up, panting from the effort. The crease of his frown softens as he wipes away a trickle of blood from his eye.

“I like it when you behave,” he whispers, lips brushing against my ear, the cold tip of his nose rubbing against the softness of my cheek and igniting another twist of excitement deep in my belly. “But you can scream again if you like. Nobody’s going to come to your rescue.”

Drake presses a soft kiss to my jaw, and I instinctively flinch away, but it’s a million miles apart from the slobbering mess of Hudson’s mouth on mine.

This is delicate, light, a pinpoint of warmth that creates a matching heat inside me.

“You knew I’d make you pay when you got into my car.” The gentle puffs of his breath against my skin are a tease that leaves me wanting more. “I told you there’d be another forfeit, but you still climbed into the passenger seat.”

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