Page 22 of Of Flames and Fallacies

I flinch at the hit.

The muscles of Cole’s back and arms ripple under his tight shirt. He whips back around and cuffs Darian on the jaw. They quickly turn into a mash of fists and fury: spinning, dodging, and whaling until Cole sweeps a leg to the back of Darian’s knees and he drops to the ground.

Pinning him, Cole grips Darian’s shirt in one hand, the fist of the other clenched and ready to deliver the next blow.

“Are you done?” Cole roars.

Darian mutters something under his breath then spits in Cole’s face.

Cole raises his fist but pauses. Hovering over Darian, he bares his teeth and glares.

Waiting.

Tense moments pass, and nobody dares breathe.

Leaning away, Cole finally shoves up to his feet. His chest rises with each heavy breath, his eyes narrowed and watching Darian. The clear victor, he extends a hand to help Darian up.

Darian scoffs and ignores Cole’s offer, standing on his own and cupping a hand to his nose gushing with blood.

With an exasperated sigh, Cole removes his shirt and throws it at Darian. “Go see Marge. Or go get a drink. I don’t care what you do, just get the fuck out of my sight.”

Without his shirt, the sunlight glints off the sweat-slickened crevices of Cole’s chiseled torso. His muscles dance under his skin with each stride, a newly discovered authority and confidence exuded by the way he walks toward the golden-haired male. I would have never imagined the boy I met ten years ago having such raw power and ferocity. But I can’t mistake his red hair, nor the deep gruffness of his voice.

“Are you okay, Archie?” Cole pulls the blond man to his feet.

“Oh, yeah, I’m good. I almost had him. I was taking it easy on him.” Archie brushes off his chest.

Cole’s lips quirk up into a slight smile before he clasps him on the shoulder. “You did good. With your tenacity, we are a force to be reckoned with.”

Daeja’s breath huffs into my ear, pulling me back to the spot where I crouch. I’ll have to wait until tonight, and grab Cole without attracting anyone else’s attention.

A flutter of nervousness tickles my stomach as thoughts pour into me.Is he still angry with me? Will he even help me? And if he doesn’t help me, what will I do?

Because he’s the only one who can help me free Daeja.

And he’s the only one I can trust.

ten

TEA PARTIES AND DRUNKS

9 months ago.

Trees unfurl with bursts of green, the whisper of spring amongst the leaves. The morning sun melts away the chill of winter, and rich purple alliums flower the gnarled roots of trees.

Heavy footsteps pull me out of my admiration, and Cole’s figure glides through the distant tree line. I slink behind a tree trunk and lie in wait.

The footsteps stop, and I peek around the tree. Cole crouches over the alliums and picks several of the flowers from a thick cluster. He scans the forest, his amber eyes sweeping closer toward me, and I dart back behind the trunk. Silence falls, and after a few heartbeats, I dare one more peek.

Fingers wrap around my shoulder and spin me. My back hits the tree, now behind me.

Cole’s face dips into my vision, his fingers threading into mine and pinning my hand above my head. He trails kisses up my neck to my jaw as I giggle.

I push my fingertips into his chest. “You’re late.”

He hands me the flowers. “I know, I know. I’m sorry. Arabella really wanted to play tea party.”

I look down at his clothes in disappointment. “I would have rather you’d worn the dress.”

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