Page 6 of Wilder
All five of us, as soon as we can.
As we pull away from the curb, I crane my neck and allow my eyes to travel back to the SIN and TZE houses.
“What’s going on in your head, CJ?” Beckham reaches for my hand, squeezing lightly when I don’t give him an answer for several quiet seconds.
When I finally tear my gaze from the fraternity and sorority houses, I murmur, “I was just thinking that one at a time, every place I’ve thought of as home has been stripped away from me.” I drag in a watery breath, swiping my fingers under my eyes. I meet Beckham’s concerned gaze first, then Royal’s from where he’s shifted around to peer at me from the front seat, and, finally, Wilder locks eyes with me in the rearview. “I don’t feel completely secure anywhere anymore. But I feel safest when I’m with the three of you.”
THREE
BECKHAM
With the essentialswe’d grabbed sitting in bags on the back seat between me and Echo, we pile into Wilder’s truck and head for the Madden home. My head is pounding from the damage I tried to do to myself earlier—nothing quite like experiencing the effects of a hangover in the middle of the night. And the reminder of why I’d felt the need to fuck myself up like that in the first place has me wanting to hide in a goddamn hole now that I’m coherent enough.
I study Echo in the dim light as Wilder swiftly drives us past campus. Every so often, a streetlamp illuminates her face and the strain she’s under shows itself. She’s distraught, and I’m partially at fault because of my careless words. I can’t fix what we’ve seen tonight, but maybe I should make sure she knows I’m sorry for hurting her like that. The look she’d had in her eyes gutted me. She’d called me a drunk dick, and I’d totally deserved it. I let out a strangled exhale that has her swinging her head in my direction. Her brows raise in question.
“Come here, Calamity Jane,” I murmur. “Please?” I need her closer. Always closer to me.
She frowns but unbuckles her seat belt at the same time I shift the bags to the floorboard. Honoring my request, she slidestoward me and cautiously looks into my eyes. Searching. She’s always searching for something, like she’s trying to understand me. Or maybe it’s deeper than that. She recognizes the unusual bond we have, the all-consuming need inside me that tethers me to her. I blink at my wild ruminations.Fuck.
How do I do this? I rub a few fingers over my mouth as she waits expectantly. Wilder and Royal are going to hear anything I say even if I keep my voice down. I don’t really mind, but I feel like an asshole at the moment, and I don’t like feeling that way. I’m the charmer who makes her smile, not the one who puts a frown on her face and tears in her eyes. Finally, I exhale heavily. “I’m definitely not intoxicated anymore, and I wanted to tell you again that I’m really sorry for what I said when I was shit-faced. It was stupid and careless. I hurt you and have no excuse for my behavior.”
She sighs, then lifts my arm to scoot under it before curling into my side and placing a hand on my chest. “But you did have an excuse. You went through something that upset you. You got drunk. You weren’t thinking about what you were saying. To 99.9 percent of people, that comment would have been funny, and they’d have laughed. But then there are those of us who have experienced seeing a crime scene like that—hell, now all four of us have—but anyway… Bottom line is that you didn’t say it to be cruel to me. You were just out of your head. Upset. I hope you’ll eventually let me help you with that. But even if you don’t, I forgive you for the departure from your usual irresistible self. I’m not going to hold some drunken words against you forever. It was upsetting at the time, but with the reminder of how fucking fleeting life can be, I’d rather we just set it aside.”
My heart kicks inside my chest, and I carefully bring a hand up, sweeping hair back from Echo’s face. I dip my head down, brushing my lips over hers. It’s soft and sensual at first, and I take my time, sampling the sweet taste of her, and thank mylucky fucking stars that she’s the person she is. I shift, threading my fingers into her hair, and cradle her head as she parts her lips for me. A small moan escapes her, and before I realize what she’s about to do, she’s straddled my lap. Our lips connect again, and I groan as I stroke into her mouth. This wasn’t what I was expecting when I apologized, but I’ll sure as fuck take it. The kisses are sexy and delicious, and our tongues dance, making my insides ache for more.
There’s so much twisting in my head, but if Echo allows me to be with her like this, I’ll ignore all of it and let it fall away. I just hope I’m giving her at least the tiniest bit of an escape, too.
“You two done making up back there?” Wilder shuts off the truck, and I reluctantly ease away from Echo’s kiss-swollen lips to find we’ve pulled up the Madden driveway. Wilder watches us in the rearview, his dark eyes glittering with interest. The corner of his lip catches between his teeth. “That was hot, by the way. Next time warn me, though. I almost ran off the fucking road.”
“You can fuckin’ say that again,” Royal grits out, and I can’t quite see it from here, but if I’m not mistaken, he’s got a hand on his dick, rearranging a boner.
Echo stifles a laugh, grinning as she grips my jaw in her hand and stamps a final kiss to my lips before shifting off my lap to sit at my side. “Yes. To answer your question, we’re good.”
Clearing his throat, Royal mumbles, “Why do you suppose the lights are on in the kitchen? And I don’t just mean the one over the sink.” He’s fully facing front now, leaning forward in the seat to eye the house.
Wilder’s brows furrow. “Echo, I thought you said your sister hasn’t seen your texts.”
“She hadn’t when we left Greek Row. Hang on.” Reaching into the pocket of the joggers she’d borrowed from Royal, she comes up with her phone, then quickly double-checks her texts. “Nope. Nothing. I assumed she was asleep.”
“Well, there’s no sense in waiting, if there’s anything else we have to deal with tonight, I’d like to meet it head-on,” I groan.
Royal shakes his head, holding up a hand. “Don’t jump to conclusions. But… let’s be cautious.”
We gather our bags and let ourselves out of the truck.
“No Davis yet,” Echo murmurs as we walk up to the front door of the house.
“I have a feeling his little stunt trying to bolt toward the crime scene got him sent to the end of the get-me-the-fuck-outta-here line.” Wilder grimaces, then shrugs. “I’m sure he’ll be sent on his way soon, too.”
“Ugh. Shit. I don’t have my keys.” Echo turns around with her teeth clenched, bringing her hands to her cheeks as her gaze bounces to each of us. “I don’t wanna ring the doorbell and wake Chase. I guess we knock. Crap. Sorry. I’m?—”
I shoot her a bemused smile, glancing at Royal and Wilder. Royal has anI told you soset to his lips. “You’re understandably off your game, CJ, but Royal actually thought that might be the case.”
“That I did.” Royal smirks as he gestures with a finger for us to hang on a sec. He reaches into his pocket and comes up with her lanyard. She accepts them with her head cocked to the side. “I thought of it while you were being questioned. No big deal.” Her gaze flicks to each of us, but she doesn’t say anything, and I can practically see the thoughts churning in her head. Royal’s eyes narrow as he studies her. “I would’ve told you we had them, but we were just trying to get the fuck out of Dodge after talking to the detective.”
My heart thumps unsteadily, watching their interaction. She squints at him, then finally mumbles, “Wow. You know me too well.” The second she says it, her brows crash together. “I didn’t mean it like it’s a bad thing. I mean—” She scrubs a hand over her tired face, then smiles sheepishly. “What I mean is thatI’m glad you do. And I’m not quite used to having anyone but Kara looking out for me.” Going up on tiptoes, she brushes her lips over Royal’s jaw. “Thank you for anticipating that I’d be a nutcase.”
Faster than she sees coming, he turns his head, smashing his lips to hers, his tongue delving inside for a teasing lick. She clearly wasn’t anticipating this, and she grabs his shoulders to steady herself, and when she does, he takes the kiss deeper. Fuck is it ever hot, like all his pent-up emotion over what happened tonight is spilling out into their kiss. I see the reluctance on his face when he pulls away from her. He kisses her nose before he grumbles out, “You bet your sweet ass I know you. Now, let’s see why your sister’s roaming around the house after one in the morning.”
