Page 29 of Pray for the Damned

She watches me for a second before shaking her head and turning back to the mirror, muttering something under her breath that sounds suspiciously like, “That’s what I’m good at.”

“You shouldn’t be in here,” she says. She leans against the basin, taking deep breaths that make me desperate to close the distance between us.

I don’t think I’ve ever comforted anyone in my life, but for some reason that’s all I want to do for her right now.

“Neither should you,” I challenge.

She huffs out a sigh and finally turns back to face me. The red splotches across her cheeks are beginning to fade, but the evidence of her tears still soaks her cheeks. “That can’t happen again.”

“Why not?”

“Because it can’t.”

“That’s not a reason.” I’m being more confrontational than Emmett would ever be, but she needs a push that he’s not going to give her. It’s been a decade of running and of us chasing. It’s about time we took what belongs to us, so she needs to get on board.

“I’m not interested in you.”

“Lie.”

Her eyes widen, and I quirk a brow up at her, challenging her to continue the argument we both know she’s going to lose. “I’m not interested in a relationship.”

“Okay.” I shrug. “We can keep things casual.” Emmett may not be on board for that, but he’s going to have to be if he wants the girl.

“I don’t do casual.”

I sigh and shove myself off the door, closing the distance between us in a few long strides. Her eyes widen with every step I take toward her, but she’s trapped against the basin.

Once she’s in reach, I lift a hand and wrap it around her throat, tilting her face up to meet mine. “This is happening, Waverly. One way or another, we’re going to be together. You just have to decide how you want that to look.”

“Are you threatening me?” She glares. Her hands press against my chest, and she shoves at me, but I don’t budge. I have at least a foot on her and a whole lot of muscle, making me almost immovable to her tiny frame.

“No, baby girl. I’m just telling you exactly how it is.” I duck my head and brush my lips across hers, allowing myself the smallest taste of the sweetest woman I’ve ever allowed myself near, but I pull back before I can take anymore from her.

She’s not ready for me yet, and once I allow myself a proper taste, I know it’ll be all over for the both of us.

“I’ll meet you in the bar to drive you home.”

Without another word, I turn and force myself to walk away from her. I swing the door open and meet Emmett’s dark eyes across the bar. I give him a smirk before strolling toward the front of the building.

I’ll be seeing them both back at her apartment, even if neither of them is aware of it.

CHAPTER TWENTY

EMMETT

What the fuck is he doing here?

I guess at this point I shouldn’t be surprised.

It seems my twin is just as obsessed with Waverly as I am, and that’s a problem.

Kade isn’t known for losing.

He wasn’t when we were kids fighting over a toy car.

Or when our father started training us to become the most elite assassins to ever bless the United States.

Or when we were pitted against one another to test our skills, and I came away with more broken ribs than our on-site medic had ever seen.

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