Page 109 of Priest and his Anarchist

“I’m greedy.” His hand is back on my neck and he’s forcing my face close. “And you’re mine. Always have been, and sure as fuck always will be, and if you haven’t got that through your pretty little head by now, I don’t mind taking it apart to make sure it gets in there.”

I pale.

He laughs, flashing a smile so beautiful it doesn’t belong on someone who said those words as if he was reciting the ABCs.

“Go on…” He nudges his head, leaning back against the door and widening his leg. “You can go play now.”

My hand finds the handle, and I cuss under my breath as it widens. I’m suddenly aware of the Madrabbit cut that’s still fresh on my thigh when the air whisks up my legs, my stockings doing nothing to keep them warm.

“I see he stole you!” River glares at Priest over my shoulder.

Evie brushes up beside her, holding two bottles of mixers. “Okay, this is what I missed. Good old days of getting drunk at a track, inhaling rubber, and watching Halen snatch the balls off every guy who thinks they can beat her.” She hands me a drink, her eyes holding mine for a second, before finding Priest. I step to the side when her arms fling around him.

“I missed you, grumpy!”

Priest allows it, and I’m impressed. Not jealous, just impressed. I know that she is Halen’s best friend, but maybe sheand Priest are too. I didn’t think Priest had friends. Priest has family.

“They’re close, but it’s nothing like that. Evie’s been away with her dad, so she hasn’t seen him in a while.”

I look to River, taking a sip of my sugar-filled drink. “You don’t have to reassure me, Riv. It’s okay.”

She places her head on my shoulder, and I plant a gentle kiss on it. “I think I’m in love with him.”

Her body turns stiff. She doesn’t answer because Stella interrupts with a sigh, leaning against the hood of Priest’s car and crossing her legs at the ankle. Her black thigh-high boots cling to her petite legs, and every time the wind blows, her long black hair swims in the breeze like silk.

“I’m bored and under-fucked.”

“Stella…” Vaden snarls at her from the other side of the car, the dark around his eyes worsening and his skin paler than usual. Vaden was always the one who had a joke, or a smile, or God forbid, when we take it right back, was the one who I felt safest around because he’d always make Priest see reason, but this new Vaden isn’t someone I recognize.

“Careful with those pretty eyes, Little One…” I don’t realize I’m staring until his words pull me back into the now. He watches with a weight of darkness that sucks me in like a vortex. He has a soul too poetic to be left with nothing but a good tune. “Before you lose them.”

“Vaden…” It leaves my mouth in a whisper, but he turns away from me, back to watching what’s happening in front of us in a cloud of smoke.

I shouldn’t ask if he’s okay, because it will only raise questions of why I think I can, with everyone here. Not that they’d judge if they knew the extent of truth between him, Priest and me, but because drawing even more attention to him when he clearly doesn’t want it would do more damage.

I look up to River, but she shakes her head, hiding her mouth beneath the fur of her collar.

“River, who was in your bed this morning?” War asks from the other side of Vaden where he’s against Halen’s Hakosuka.

River glares at War, flipping him off. “None of your business.”

“Who, as in one?” Stella’s brow rises at the same time as the corner of her mouth. “Surprised…”

“Okay, both of you shut up, I—” The sound of a V8 sends ripple waves through the air as Priest steps closer behind me.

The sleek black Rolls Royce comes to a stop, with nothing but the beam of its headlights to squint at. When polished Oxfords come into view, followed by another shadow, I almost choke on my laugh.

Everyone is so tense.

Pop and a young guy around our age step in front of the light. When Priest steps in front of me, his hand brushes mine and my heart skips a beat. He pulls me back casually without looking, putting himself between me and his grandfather.

Weird.

“What’s up with that?” I ask River while keeping my eyes fixed ahead. My holster is in Priest’s car, but it’d take me less than three seconds to have it lodged in someone’s forehead if they even make a single inclination of harm toward him. Or anyone here.

River’s laugh dies a little. “That dude there is Bas. He fucked Halen, and War is still pissed.”

Seems about right.

---