Page 14 of Martyr
I tilt my head, the stride oddly familiar.
“How the hell am I supposed to find her?” His voice drifts toward me, clear and crisp even though it’s low.
My heart skips.
I shove away from the window and bolt out of Lyssa’s room without a word. I keep my footsteps as light as I can, but there’s no stopping me fromrunning. I skid around the corner and barely stop myself from slamming into the exit doors. The last thing I need is to get caught outside of my room.
My caution ends at making sure the door eases shut behind me, then I’m sprinting again. I round the corner and crash into a hard body. Hands grasp at my shoulders, easing me back, and I look up.
Reese Avery.
I blink, and he goes blurry. Tears fill my eyes and spill down my cheeks, and he immediately drags me into his chest. His arms band around my back.
“Oh God,” I whimper. “You’re really here?”
“Fuck, Tem, I thought it would be a whole hell of a lot harder to find you.” His hold on me tightens.
His voice rasps in my ears, deliciously real. I inhale, my nose buried in his coat. His scent makes my heart ache.
“You okay?” His lips press to the top of my head.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m…” My throat closes.Okay, so I’m not entirely fine.
He guides my face up and brushes at the tears on my cheeks. His gaze takes in everything I’m not saying, and there isn’t an ounce of pity in his expression. He has a bit of scruff on hischeeks. And circles under his eyes. His hair is hidden by a knit cap, but bits of it poke out around the edges.
It got longer.
“Is there somewhere we can go to get out of this cold?” he asks.
Reese isn’t going to magically spirit me off the island, so I suppose suggesting the boat he came in on is out of the question. I step back slowly, but before I can retreat out of reach, he snags my hand in his.
An unexpected blush blooms across my cheeks, and another feeling shoots straight between my legs.
Oh.
“Answer me this,” he says suddenly. “When you initiated… were you high?”
His grip on my fingers tightens, like he can read my mind.
“Please don’t leave, Tem. I just?—”
“I was.” I shake my head. “God, I’m sorry I did that to you.”
I didn’t think about how it affected Reese. Or Kade, even. My actions didn’t directly harm them, but it doesn’t mean there’s no hurt. My choices with them,aroundthem, are a reflection of my state of mind.
Which was impaired.
“Can you forgive me?”
“Done.”
I glance around, then put my hand to his chest. I guide him backward, into the trees, until he bumps into a thick trunk. I meet his gaze. “I’m not high now.”
“No,” he agrees.
“Never been more sober.”
He doesn’t stop me from slipping down to my knees, but his jaw works. His gaze stays glued to my face. I shove his jacket up, undo the button of his pants, and free his stiffening cock. It sways, pointing straight at me.
