Page 70 of GAF Factor

He was standing beside me at the trunk, smirking at me as I stared into the distance. “Everything okay?”

I pasted a smile on my face. “Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”

His sharp blue gaze wandered over my face for only a few seconds before he tugged me to him and slid his lips right next to my ear. “I didn’t invite her.”

I swallowed hard as shivers raced down my spine. “I…I didn’t say anything.”

“I can tell what you’re thinking. You’re wondering if I still have feelings for her, if I’m thinking about her. You’re wondering how you’re going to get through this trip with her. But Isla, you’re the only woman I see. I let her go a long time ago. She doesn’t make my heart trip. She doesn’t make me obsess over her. And she sure as fuck doesn’t do this to me.”

His lips were on mine the next instant, kissing me hard, leaving me breathless as his fingers wound in my hair. His tongue slid smoothly over mine, reminding me of the first time his hands were on me in the dark at his house.

A throat cleared, but IKE didn’t pull away. I grinned against his lips, feeling my face flush bright red.

“You know, some of us were forced to be here and would like to get on with this trip so we can return to our regularly scheduled lives,” IRIS muttered not-so-quietly.

“Forced?” I asked IKE.

“I suggested it would be best if he came along. What’s wrong with that?”

“I’m totally on board with this,” Jane grinned. “Of course, I like getting out from behind the typewriter every now and again to see how regular people do it. And by regular people, I mean murderers and thieves.”

She grabbed my hand and started dragging me toward the plane. I glanced over my shoulder, certain IKE would stop her, but instead, he was already deep in conversation with IRIS.

Just as she was about to drag me up the steps to the plane, I tore myself from her grip. “Why are you really here?”

She cocked her head at me in question. “What do you?—”

“I know IKE was in love with you,” I blurted out. “Is that why you’re here?”

Her cheeks burned bright red as she chuckled. “Uh…no. I was never in love with IKE. Infatuated, maybe. He’s got that whole dangerous vibe that really intrigued me. Then again, I was infatuated with my next-door neighbor and he turned out to be a serial killer who was using my books as inspiration for his killings. So, I may not be the best judge of character. Not that you have to worry about IKE.”

“You were infatuated with him?”

“For story purposes. He was my muse of sorts. I’d never met anyone with his…skill set before. And I guess I didn’t really realize just how much he…loved his work until I hopped in his trunk and went on a very long ride. Then I witnessed him inaction and—well, I’m ashamed to say it changed my mind about him.”

I shifted uncomfortably. “What exactly did you see?”

Her eyes widened and she grabbed me, dragging me up the stairs to the safety of the plane. “I didn’t mean to say that. I’m sure he would never let you witness?—”

“I don’t care about what he’ll let me witness. What did you see?”

She snapped her mouth shut, refusing to answer.

“Look, clearly you know him well?—”

“Enough to know that he really likes you. Probably loves you.”

“Why would you say that?” I already knew he did, but I wondered what she saw.

“IRIS told me. It was clear to him the moment he saw IKE sitting outside your house in the cold after he nearly died with you in that container. He said IKE was really hurting, but he refused to leave you. That is, until IKE dragged him to another state to find your ex. That didn’t turn out so well.”

He did what? He never told me about any of that.

“Look, all I care about is that you’re not here on some sort of twisted game to get IKE back. You can’t have him. He’s mine.”

Her eyes widened as a low growl came from behind me.

“I fucking love hearing you say that,” IKE rumbled.

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