Page 78 of Feathers of Ash and Hope

“It’s getting late.” I do my best not to sound snippy and shift my weight, angling my body so I’m between Sloan and this creep and his friends. There are six of them, but two are already heading for a table, while three observe our exchange, grinning.

“Oh, come on, we will make it worth your while,” he says.

Is he implying that they can buy us?My eyebrows creep up, and I clamp my lips shut.I won’t start a fight.Okay, maybe I am lying to myself now.

His friends stand to our left. If I shove him in their direction, we should be able to slip out the door without anyone stopping us. But he will come after us, I’m sure of that. He seems too proud to let us go after embarrassing him in front of his friends. And that will leave us in a dark alley without anyone around. If it had been just me, I would have climbed the building and let him search himself stupid. But with Sloan, that isn’t an option.

Before I can decide on my next move, I am yanked back into a very solid chest. I stiffen for a second; then I recognize the gift and his scent.

Looking over my shoulder, I meet the stormy depth of golden eyes, his hands settling possessively on my hips, and I relax into him.

Guess I don't have to fight my way out after all.

Oily loses his leering grin and quite a bit of color as he looks at the man standing behind me. He steps aside without Tate needing to say a word.

Damn. That is impressive. I wish I could do that.

“Jared.” Tate waves his friend over. His voice rumbles through my body and does funny things to my core, distracting me so Jared nearly reached us before my brain kicks back in.

Shit, I can't let him see me.

I turn into Tate, burying my face in his neck, letting my hair fall around me. His scent envelops me, leather, pine, and something fresh and cool like a winter night. His arms tighten around me.

We could die here any day, and you throw away a chance like that…Live a little.Calix's words play through my mind. Ah, fuck it.

I lean in a bit more, running my nose along the side of his neck. He flinches. I have never seen him so much as wince before, that he jerks like that when I barely touched him…It’s kind of addicting. I do it again.

What would he do if I explored his neck, his jawline with my lips, my teeth? His hand squeezes my side, maybe a warning to behave myself. I swallow the laughter bubbling through me.

“Escort Sloan safely back home, would you?” Tate’s voice sounds rough, and I nearly hum in appreciation. “I need to talk about appropriate fight and flight reactions with this one here,” he continues.

I hear Jared's affirmative and squeeze Sloan’s hand before releasing her. I can feel her burning questions without her having to say anything.

I’ll have to visit her soon. The door behind me opens, cool night air caresses my hot skin before it closes again.

Chapter

Twenty-Two

TATE

She shakes in my arms,but she hasn’t acted scared. The way she stepped between this brute and her friend, the way she shifted her body right before I grabbed her, told me she was about to fight him.

She ran from me, ignored my questions, patted my chest like I was some...pet she was rewarding, and then… Knowing we are here—that I am here—she would rather fight a guy twice her weight than ask for help?

Holy mists, this woman is driving me insane.

I still feel the burning line along my neck like she fried my fucking nerves just by touching me with her nose? Lips?

What is wrong with me? And what is wrong with her?

Her breath warms my skin in small puffs, and I’m caught somewhere between wanting to shake some sense into her and kissing her senseless.

That we are drawing more and more attention by just standing here isn’t helping either. I should drag her back and report her for sneaking out but handing her over when Foley already wants her dead? Fuck. I can’t do it.

What the fuck did I get myself into?

The guys of my flight—our flight for the time being—are already staring curiously, and one of them will come over any minute now. I have to get her out of here.

---