Page 65 of Pretty Poisoned

Iset my coffee on the kitchen table and slide into Luca's lap. He wraps his arms around me, and I reach back, threading my fingers into his hair—still wet from the shower like my own—and use it to bring his mouth to mine.

"Well, that's different," River says.

She and Hazel are making breakfast; everyone else is seated at the table or around the bar—Brady, Rhett, Alana, even Eli, a couple of extras I haven't seen before. But not Declan…not that it matters. I'm lost in the mouth of the tattooed rock god who's already growing hard again under my ass, running his hands over me while he teases me with his tongue.

"I licked her into submission," Luca says.

"Does that mean you're staying with us?" River says.

"Yes," Luca says.

"No," I tell them. "Declan said I have to leave. I'm, um, I'm going to the airport tonight when we get to Seattle."

And I mean it. Even if Declan didn't tell me I had to go, I'd be leaving. I have a life to get back to, I have bills to pay. I know what happened to Bridget, and I have a feeling Heidi, the girlthey found in the woods, must have seen something like what I saw and made a run for it.

I got what I came for. Even if the answers aren't quite what I wanted. Maybe they aren't killers, but they are dangerous. Luca is dangerous, too. I know that.

Even if he did kind of ruin me with his tongue and his cock.

He pulls back, looks me in the eyes, and shakes his head. "You can't," he says softly.

Perhaps sensing the tension, Hazel interjects, "Well, if you do stay, you'll have to learn how to cook and start helping us around here."

She sets a stack of plates in the middle of the table and begins bringing over food.

"She won't have to do anything," Luca says. "I'll do it for her."

"Has she seen you angry yet, Luca?" Alana asks.

I feel his posture stiffen; his fingers dig into my hip bone.

"Yeah," I answer. "I have."

I take a sip of my coffee.

Declan walks in in only sweatpants, his hair disheveled. I've never seen him look anything less than completely put together or downright menacing, and it's jarring.

As his eyes settle on me, his expression hardens. I sink further into Luca as he rounds the table and sits in the empty chair beside us.

Declan fills a plate and, without looking up, says, "Luca, you and Eli need to go to the studio today and get some things ready. The bus will be here at three."

I check the time on the microwave.Four hours.Only four hours until I can have my phone—and my life—back.

I wonder what that will feel like. It's a relief, but…

I reach up and run my hand over Luca's stubbled cheek and kiss the other one.

Maybe I've grown a little attached to the monster. I blame the sickness in my bones.

We eat like that—mostly quiet. After I help everyone clean up and do the dishes, Luca and Eli leave, and I go upstairs to dress and pack.

I pull Luca's t-shirt over my head and look at the spread of new clothes laid out across the bed.

This is crazy. I can't fit all of this in my backpack. Not even close.

I slip into those black jeans with the slits on the upper thighs and a cropped long-sleeved top. I go to the bathroom and fix my hair and makeup, trying to decide what I should do about the clothes. I could ask Luca for a suitcase. He said he'd get me whatever I needed, right? But…

I go to the closet and, sure enough, there sits Layla's pink suitcase.

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