Page 93 of Run, Little Rabbit

He’s looking at me like I’ve grown two heads.

“What the fuck is your problem?” I snap, sick of the condescension radiating from the guy.

“You, Echo,” he hisses. “You’re my problem. I don’t know who you are anymore. You swan about like you don’t have a care in the world or that your life doesn’t matter. I’m supposed to protect you, but how can I do that if you don’t tell me where you’re going or what you’re planning?”

I prod my finger in his chest. “Well boo-fucking-hoo. You should have thought about that before you decided I should be ashamed of my actions. I’m not, by the way; I amproudof who I am. And I haven’t wanted you around because I can’t stand to look at you.” He flinches at that and looks at the ground, but I’m not letting him off the hook that easy. “Look at me.”

His blue eyes meet mine, and they’re swimming with sorrow. Well, sorrow isn’t going to fix this rift between us. It’s not going to fix what he broke with his careless comment. He might regret those words now, but I saw that he’d meant it at the time.

“Veon, you hurt me,” I say, my voice soft and a little raw. “And every time I look at you, my heart breaks a little bit more.”

“I’m sorry, Echo. It was never my place to comment, and I should have held my tongue. I deeply regret it and I will always protect you. Whether I’m welcome in your orbit or not.” He reaches out a hand to cup my face but stops before his fingers reach my skin.

I know we all say things in the heat of the moment, and I want to fix this between us, I really do, but am I strong enough to take the olive branch he’s offering?

I take a deep breath and lean into his touch, and it’s like something snapping back into place. I know we have a long way to go, but I think this might be a step in the right direction.

Veon curls his fingers around the back of my neck, and he pulls me into his chest, the scent of him familiar and safe. I relax into his hold. I’ve missed this, missedhim,and all I want to do is breathe him in and remind myself why this guy was always my rock.

He pulls back slightly, and those blue eyes hit mine with all that sorrow again. “I know we had the potential of something, and maybe I missed my chance, Echo, but I’ll have to live with that. I’m not wired to share. I can’t… be with someoneandsomeone else. When I’m with someone, I want to be their entire world, not just a planet in their orbit. This connection you’ve found with these men might work for you, and I’m so happy for you, Echo, I truly am, but this isn’t for me.”

“I know,” I admit, that same sorrow filling my soul as we both come to terms with where we are and this new chapter in our relationship. I swipe my thumbs across his cheeks, his light stubble rasping against my skin. “Perhaps we were never meant to be and maybe your person is right around the corner.”

“Perhaps.” He smiles sadly, and I know he doesn’t believe me. “Now, why don’t you introduce me to your posse?”

“Posse?” I snort. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Gang? Trio? Harem? Horde? What would you prefer?”

“I don’t think I like any of those,” Angel says as Veon and I walk towards them, his nose scrunched up in disgust.

Niki’s grin is feral as I sit in the spot next to him on the sofa. “Do I get to shoot him back? Please say I can, Rabbit. I want revenge.”

“Well, pretty boy, if you think you can hit me from the same distance I shot you, be my guest.” Veon holds his rifle out towards Niki, and fuck, I should have seen this competitiveness coming from a mile off.

Niki stands and closes the distance between him and Veon. “Who are you calling ‘pretty boy’?”

Veon scoffs. “Thought that was obvious, sweetheart.”

Angel turns towards me and cocks a brow. “Sugar, you do know this is literally going to turn into a shooting match, but instead of painted targets, they’re going to be chasing each other through the woods.”

Fuck. Angel’s right. I jump up and stand between Niki and Veon. “Nope. We are not going to be shooting anyone in this room. Promise me.”

The pair of them snarl at each other, clearly measuring their dicks and paying no attention to anything else in the room. Angel cackles with laughter, and if I thought that there was no chance that bullets would fly, I’d probably be laughing too, but with these two, anything is possible.

Especially murder.

“Well, I see you’ve got everything handled here, Echo,” Sphinx drawls as he steps back into the room. He looks like he’s been crying, but there’s something genuine about the smile playing about his mouth that has relief running through me.

“Veon’s challenged Niki to shoot him from the same distance that he shot Niki from,” Angel quips from behind me.

“My money is on Veon,” Sphinx says instantly. I totally agree, but I don’t say anything, as it’s already pretty tense in here as it is.

“What?” Niki signs, short and sharp.

Man, his face is a picture. The fact that someone might possibly be better than him has outrage pouring from his expression.

“Nikita,” Veon says, his voice a low whisper. “I’ve probably got more confirmed kills than you, at distances you wouldn’t even be able to comprehend, but if you think that you can beat me, by all means, go ahead.”

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