Page 17 of Phantom Faceoff

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Blanchard.

I bet he wouldn’t hesitate to push me right off this damn roof.

Julian.

Seeing me up here would scare the shit out of him. That is one thought I am one hundred percent certain of.

I know where I am. I should call Micky. Sure, he’ll yell and lecture me. But at the very least he won’t let me fall.

Or push me.

My thumb hovers over my contact list, drawn to one name.

If you ever get in a bind, Mal will protect you.

My heart pounds as I glance over the edge of the roof.

Fifty/Fifty he scoffs and leaves me to my own natural consequences.

My eyes close, too heavy to hold themselves open anymore.

I put the phone to my ear and listen to the line trill.

My mind is lost to the haze of exhaustion. I’m seconds away from losing my grip on the phone and listening to it smack against the pavement.

Someone grunts.

Silence.

My imagination.

A throat clears.

“Hale?”

I try to open my mouth, but a pained sound through my teeth is all I can manage.

Who let me get this hammered?

My concentration falters.

Why was I trying to stay awake again?

Chapter Six

Malachi

Insomnia has its advantages,I suppose. If one of those advantages is a call from a human wrecking ball during the witching hour.

I wasn’t going to answer, but if the jackass were in trouble and Julian found out I ignored him? What a pain in the ass that would be.

“Hale?” I’m met with repeated silence, and isn’t that just what I need? A middle of the night butt dial.

That’s when I notice the breathing. Heavy. Rapid.

Because that’s somehow better? Let me add listening to this man get off for a second time to my spank bank.

There’s a sharp intake of breath, a pained hiss.

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