Page 52 of Daughters of Chaos

I should thank Raptor for keeping her mind off things and watching out for her when I’m not able to. It’s not often that I let others take up that mantle, but the MC has done a good job keeping her out of harm’s way so far, especially him, and it has nothing to do with the threat I made to his manhood, either.

Even if I hadn’t done that, he’d still watch out for her, protect her with his last breath. I can see it on his face—he’s as crazy about my sister as she is about him. Against my will, the corners of my mouth curl up. She deserves that happiness. Maybe when Dom’s crew is taken care of, she’ll get her happily ever after.

Warm hands snake around my waist as a familiar voice coos in my ear. “Hey, you.” Jesse smiles against my cheek, his stubble scratching my skin.

I turn around, greeting him with a lift of my chin. “Hey, yourself.”

He shoots me a wicked grin. “The guys wanted to hang out here for a bit and unwind. You cool with that?”

I try not to cringe as I let out a sigh. From the corner of my eye, I can still see Nix’s red hair swaying as she laughs at something Raptor said. “I guess,” I tell him. Maybe this is what I need too.

His smile widens, and he pulls me closer. “Great,” I can see the desire in his eyes as he presses into me. His erection tells me exactly what he’s got in mind forwinding downas he brings his lips closer, closer.

Some of the sweetbutts eye us as his dangerous lips start to work the exposed column of my neck. Urgent kisses trail up my skin, and Jesse whispers, “You wanna go have some fun, babe?”

Normally, I’d be all over it, but I’m not feeling it tonight. Any other day I’d start teasing him back, putting on a show for the girls watching us, showing them who he belongs to for the night. But tonight, I can’t. For some reason, I don’t have it in me.

I tilt my neck, stopping his progress, using my hand to push back on his chest. With a shake of my head, I tell him, “Nottonight, J.” I look over at the girls who were watching us and cock my head. “I’m sure any of them would be willing, though.”

He eyes the girls before looking back at me, a question raging in his gaze. “You sure?”

With a pat on his chest, I send him on his way. “I’m sure, J. Go have fun.”

There’s no hesitation as he walks away, exactly how it’s supposed to be. He and I aren’t together. What we have is fun and casual but not deep. If I were feeling it—feeling him—tonight, I’d be raging inside, ready to claw the eyes of any girl here who looked at him, but I feel none of that.

Even as he walks away, even as he flirts with one of the sweetbutts . . . I feel nothing. No jealousy. No possessiveness. No feeling of hurt or loss. None of it. When he and the girl disappear, I still feel nothing.

With Jesse, I want him when I want him, and when I don’t, I don’t. I guess that’s what happens when you have a heart of stone.

29

Phoenix

From the corner of my eye, I see Jesse head upstairs with some girl’s hand in his. My stomach drops, and I look around for any sign of Raven.Did she see it too? Did they get in a fight?

When I see Raven walking this way with a beer in her hand, I notice she doesn’t look fazed at all. I still watch her carefully as she sits next to me, jerking her head in a quick greeting. I pull away from Mason, looking my sister over for signs of distress.

She notices immediately. “What?” she asks.

“Are you okay?”

She takes a sip of her drink, shrugging as she replies. “Fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”

None of her tells are giving her away. Maybe she means it. I lean closer, still feeling Mason’s hand on my back. “I saw Jesse and that girl together.”

No sign of irritation. No anger in her eyes. Just a lazy shrug. “I told him to have fun. I wasn’t in the mood tonight.”

I blink as I stare at her. I must have had it all wrong. Rae doesn’t do serious, but things seemed different this time. She seemed to like Jesse.

“What?” she demands as I gape at her.

I snap my mouth shut and lean back into Mason, shaking my head. “I thought you two were together.”

Raven huffs a clipped laugh. “We were only together for one thing, and only when we both wanted it. It's not serious. I don’t hold him to anything.”

She takes another sip, catching my eye again. I must look concerned or sad because she sighs. “Nix, I’m fine. If I weren’t, I’d be up there clawing that girl’s eyes out right now, but I’m not because I literally don’t care.”

I can feel Mason behind me. He’s been listening, but he’s kept quiet and pretended not to. His thumb starts tracing warm circles on my hip, keeping me grounded and letting me know he’s still here. He’s giving me an anchor for the unnecessary distress I’m feeling over my sister’s not-breakup.

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