Page 53 of Revenge & Ruin

He still came after you, didn’t he?

The thought makes me pause as my hand rests on the refrigerator door. That has to mean something, right? He took on twelve men just to keep me safe.

I pull open the door and snag the ice pack. It’s almost comical how many medical supplies he has in his fridge, but I don’t dwell on it. Leon’s apartment is the exact same.

By the time I return to the hallway, Teo is no longer there. The door to the living room he “trapped” me in earlier is open, though, so I make my way over.

“You know you could probably start your own pharmacy with a fridge like that…”

My voice trails off at the sight of him draped over the couch. He is entirely shirtless, revealing an expanse of tight muscles as he clutches an entire bottle of whiskey in his good hand.

His eyes are closed, his expression pained. It doesn’t take long for me to figure out why.

His entire shoulder has turned an agitated shade of red. The closer to the epicenter of the gunshot, the darker it is. I’d wager the whole thing will be black by morning.

I step forward with the ice pack and kneel before the couch. Wrapping a towel around his arm, I reach to press the frozen surface to his skin.

He hisses on impact, eyes flashing wide in alarm.

“Don’t be such a baby,” I chastise him.

“Shall I shoot you next? See how well you fair?”

I press the ice pack down harder.

He hisses again, and I almost laugh at the way his nose scrunches up in discomfort. It’s cute.

How can a man who electrocuted half a dozen men be this cute?

“Sorry, I thought you wanted someone to tend to your wounds,” I say instead.

He groans slightly. “Here was me hoping that you might offer to kiss it better.”

The rebuttal dies in my throat when his eyes catch mine once more.

I’m suddenly aware of how close we are. Of how I could move my free hand up and touch his bare chest if I wanted to. Of how he could throw his arm over my shoulder and draw me in if he wanted to.

And I'd be utterly helpless to it, kneeling on the floor beside this man who has threatened to kill me multiple times.

I’d welcome his embrace, the feeling of his hard muscles beneath my fingers. I’d stop thinking altogether if he put his mouth on mine.

As if reading my mind, his eyes drop to my lips.

“Teo…”

But the tension is cut the second the lights begin to flash across his face. Red and blue.

Finally, the authorities have arrived to investigate the mess outside.

Teo closes his eyes for a beat. When he opens them again, there’s nothing of the lust that once shone there.

“You need to leave. Now.”

I stare at him in disbelief. “You’re letting me go?”

“The Guild will be here soon, and you can’t be here when they arrive. It will cause too many complications.”

“But, I thought you…this was…”

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