Page 176 of Without a Trace
Rhett grinned into his glass. “Yeah, let us know how that works out.”
Even Zeke’s mouth twitched. “They really didn’t do their homework, did they?”
I let the moment stretch, firelight flickering across their faces—these boys who had been sent to watch me. Now they were circling a girl they couldn’t contain.
“They’ll learn the hard way,” I said, voice soft but sharp. “I don’t break easy.”
Trace’s eyes didn’t leave mine. “No,” he said quietly. “You burn.”
And the way he said it—low, reverent, almost afraid—made the air pull tight again.
Scarlett
The bottle hovered near my lips.
Firelight flickered low, casting the boys in bronze and shadow. I was warm—bare skin, bold mouth, drunk on more than tequila.
Trace leaned back on his elbows, legs stretched in the sand. I sat between them, my spine pressed to his chest, his heartbeat a steady, silent presence behind me. He hadn’t said a word in a while.
I didn’t need him to.
The others watched me like I might break something.
They weren’t wrong.
I took a slow sip and let the silence burn.
“Okay,” I said, dragging the word like silk through smoke. “New question.” I grinned. “Maybe.”
Kane groaned. “Absolutely not. Somebody cut her off.”
“Don’t be dramatic,” I said sweetly, swirling the last inch of tequila in the bottle. “You’ll miss the fun part.”
I sat up, untangling from Trace. He let me, even as his hand lingered too long on my hip.
I pointed at Rhett. “If we weren’t in the middle of a blood feud, would you have tried to fuck me?”
He straight-up choked. “Jesus, Scarlett.”
“Is that a yes or a no?”
His face lit up, laughter bubbling out. “It’s a ‘yes, and I’d have absolutely embarrassed myself.’”
“Correct answer,” I smirked. “Points for honesty.”
I turned to Kane.
“Oh hell no,” he said, raising both hands. “You’d have used me for my truck and left me emotionally shattered.”
I grinned. “That’s flattering. Means you think I’d call you back.”
Zeke muttered under his breath. “She’s feral tonight.”
“Feral’s generous,” Rhett added. “She’s in villain origin mode.”
I twirled the bottle between my fingers. “Okay, next question.”
“Jesus Christ,” Kane whispered.
