Page 34 of Beautifully Reckless

“Well, now that I’ve done the dirty work and made you aware of what’s clear to everyone else, I’ll leave you two to have rooftop makeup sex.” She grins unrepentant. “I gotta tell you, though. This rooftop has seen a damn lot of action.”

My brows shoot up while a strangled sound falls from Abbey, and I try not to laugh when I see her eyes widen in horror.

“Get your arse back inside.” Tyler spins Rhys before slapping it.

While I grin, Abbey blushes so hard she could light up the whole fucking city.

I watch their backs as they leave, waiting until their voices fade before I turn back to Abbey, raising a brow.

“Friends of yours?”

She nods, but then shakes her head, before finishing with a shrug.

“Rhys is Lexi’s friend. She was there for her when I wasn’t.”

Damn. There’s so much pain in Abbey’s tone.

“Don’t forget, Angel, atthattime, you were also going through your own hell, too.”

She offers me a small smile, but it doesn’t reach her eyes as she nods, her gaze dropping to her awkwardly shuffling feet.

Fuck.

I hate this.

I feel so out of my depth with this situation. Especially now that I’m not on MC turf. But maybe that’s exactly what this situation needs.

Distance from the craziness. Somewhere quiet where we can both find our bearings and try to fucking think straight.

“Look, you don’t have to decide tonight,” I say, trying to keep my voice as soft as a thug like me can, stepping forward and hooking my finger under her chin, forcing those doe eyes back to mine. “Take some time to think about it. You should be safe here for a bit, but staying in the city isn’t a good idea long-term. Too many CCTV cameras. Far too many eyes.”

She nods, exhaustion darkening her gaze before she sighs.

“I just want this to be over, but I feel like it will never end.”

Her voice is just above a whisper. So small and timid and far too beaten down.

“I promise you, it will come to an end soon enough,” I murmur, my voice rough. “I’m sorry I haven’t gotten to the list of names you left me yet. The club has been reeling after finding Morris dead in Casey’s car trunk.”

She cringes at the reminder. That wasn’t a pleasant fucking discovery, and it’s why she ended up with puke all over her.

“And, there’s also been the hours upon hours I’ve spent scouring the streets, looking for you.”

She stiffens. Her big caramel eyes flare, like my words both shock and please her.

“You’ve really been looking for me?”

“I told you not to run from me, Angel.” My voice drops with the reminded anger it caused me. “I fucking warned you there would be consequences.”

She rolls her eyes. “And yet, you still haven’t punished me.”

Fuck.

That little bit of defiance has my cock twitching as heat licks up my spine.

I’m getting hard just thinking about the ways I could punish her. She has no idea what she’s inviting.

Sucking in a sharp breath, her sweet scent wraps around me, distracting as fuck.

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