Page 116 of Consume Me

“I take full accountability,” she says, sounding so damn pleased, making me want to be whatever this woman needs me to be.

“You sure have by giving yourself to me.”

“And I love that,” she says breathlessly.

I move to the coffee machine, preparing a cup of coffee, and we end up drinking from one mug. My lips always find where hers have been. It’s strangely personal. I understand Kaden and Dane better now. The one you love is worth everything.

“What’s Hunter’s deal?” I ask, aware of the stark contrast between them. Mia is not afraid to show her feelings.

“He wasn’t always like this, but with every year, he pulled away, creating this distance between us,” she says in a sad voice laced with hurt.

“Which is stupid because I feel something is wrong but…”

“He’s a stubborn one, isn’t he?”

“Look who’s talking.”

“You wore me down.” I nudge her side.

“Took me long enough.”

I burst into laughter. No one in this world makes me feel like her––lighthearted, a blend of elation and ease. Our moment is interrupted when our friends pile into the kitchen.

Shit, I wanted to tell her about the plan first, but I forget my own damn mind when I am near her.

The assholes known as our friends dig into the muffins, but when Dane moves to take the last one, I swat his hand away and place it on Mia’s plate instead.

“You’re so bloody obvious I might throw up,” Hunter says grumpily.

“Of course, because every gesture of affection does,” Bailey mumbles.

He glares at her, hurt crossing his eyes for a moment.

Abigail places her half on Dane’s plate, and he feeds her. I believe he will never be totally comfortable when Abi doesn’t eat her portion, so he feeds her instead to be sure.

Celine rests her head on Kaden’s shoulder, and he gently caresses her side while he tears the muffins into small pieces and places them on her plate. It’s a typical breakfast morning—together and alive—but the tension lingers, a cloudy presence more intense than the snowstorm brewing outside.

“I was thinking,” I say, and everyone directs their attention to me.

Mia places a hand on my thigh, and I cover hers with mine, interlacing our fingers.

“We need to find out how they got the money. It’s obvious they have plenty in order to finance those mercenaries. If we find the money, that will lead us to Felix and Caleb. We need connections to the underground that will help us find them. It can’t hurt.”

Kaden nods and says, “Bailey, check everyone’s finances.”

“On it.”

She gets on her phone, and her brows pinch together, her face paling by the second.

“It’s our money—the sum we’ve been slowly pulling out over the last two years to fund our escape.”

“What?” we all ask.

“Ten million, all gone. And I can’t trace any of it,” she sighs, shutting her eyes.

“Bailey, look at me,” Hunter says.

She does, and he adds, “Pull yourself together. In fights, you can’t always win.”

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