Page 22 of At the Edge of Surrender

A bunch of texts blipped through, everyone saying that they’d see each other tonight and affirming that they’d be at Otto and Raven’s tomorrow for our regular Sunday gathering.

All except for Cash who made one of his lame excuses that he had to bow out on Sunday.

I set my phone down and finished brushing my teeth. As I was shutting off the faucet, the doorbell rang. With a frown, I stilled. I didn’t get a ton of visitors around here, especially on a Saturday.

Was likely Mallory or one of the morning crew at the club needing assistance, so I ambled back into my bedroom, snagged my jeans from where I’d left them on the floor last night, and tugged them on as I walked out of my room and down the second story hall.

I didn’t bother with a shirt.

Could almost feel the agitation roll through the air when the doorbell rang again, and I bounded downstairs, shouting, “Comin’!”

I hit the bottom landing, and I strode across the reclaimed, black-stained wooden floors to the door.

Without peeking out to see who it was, I whipped it open, then I froze when I saw who was standing on the other side.

My stomach bottomed out and my pulse jumped straight into a stampede of anticipation.

Fuck. Me.

Emery.

She was even more gorgeous than I remembered.

Stunning heart-shaped face that I was pretty sure would forever be emblazoned in my mind. Long locks of golden hair falling around her delicate shoulders. Pink, full lips looking like the perfect kiss, something I’d been regretting I hadn’t taken to doing while I’d had the chance.

Even wearing the same chunky heels she’d had on last night, she barely came to my chin. Slight little body that had me itching to glide my hands all over it. Explore every delicious inch.

Which was probably a really fucking idiotic reaction considering the way those mesmerizing eyes went wide with shock when she saw me. The flecks of toffee whirling in confusion and dread.

“Emery?” Her name was a breath.

At my voice, those eyes somehow widened farther, in horror or shock, I couldn’t tell. It was something I should probably ponder a little more deeply, but my brain was short-circuiting as her attention tracked over my bare shoulders and chest and down to my abs.

My dick that had barely started to settle perked right back to life and pressed full at my jeans, far too eager at the prospect that things might not be over between us.

Bottled lust had kept me tossing all night, though I’d been more than happy to contend with the raging case of blue balls if it meant I’d given her what she’d needed.

If I’d made her stop hurting, even if it was only for a second.

But now that she was here? I was the fool who wanted to explore what that might mean. Break every rule I’d ever made for myself and invite her inside and up to my room.

Peel her out of those jeans and that blouse and whatever bits of lace she had on underneath so I could show her what it’d feel like if I truly sent her flying.

“Hey, beautiful. What are you doing here?” I finally managed to ask, voice filling with a question since she seemed a whole lot less excited to see me than I was about seeing her.

A strangled sound locked in her throat, and she was suddenly shaking her head and backing across the covered porch toward the steps.

In an instant, all those fairy tales that had flashed through my mind were being replaced with the hard reality of this world, and I was spinning through the possibilities of what had actually brought her here.

What had marked her in that ghastly fear that turned her skin a pasty white.

Is that why she was here? Was she in trouble? Had she somehow found out who I was and what I did?

The tattoo on the back of my left hand burned, and I fisted it as I tried to control the swell of rage.

I wasn’t so successful considering the question was cracking offmy tongue as I stepped out onto the porch. “What’s going on, Emery? Are you in trouble?”

My attention whipped across the vast lawn that fronted my yard and to the dense forest that surrounded my place. Ready to take down any motherfucker who thought to do her harm.

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