Page 189 of Midnights
She looks away, but it’s useless. She's not very good at hiding it, and even if she was, her body betrays her. The way she leans into me, the way her pulse flutters at her throat, and the way she licks her lips like she wants something but refuses to ask for it. It all tells me exactly what she wants.
I’m so fucking hard, and holding back is a losing game. My hands slide to her hips, and her eyes snap back to mine, filled with that unmistakable hunger.
“Kane,” she whispers, and just like that, I'm undone.
My mouth is on hers, needing to claim her again. One taste of her isn’t enough.
Of all the things I’ve noticed about Raven, every single one just got bumped to the bottom of the list. Because now, my favorite thing is going to be making her come.
I scoop her up easily, locking my arms around her waist, and her legs wrap around me without hesitation. Her arms go around my neck as I push open the door, stepping inside without missing a beat. Her body molds against mine, and I’m ready to take her against the nearest surface.
That is, until a cough cuts through the air like a bucket of ice water.
“Good evening, sir. This was left for you.”
Robert's voice falters as his eyes land on us.
Raven freezes in my arms for a second before snapping her head toward him. Her wide eyes betray her shock as she squirms to get down.With great fucking reluctance, I lower her to the floor. She steps away quickly, smoothing her dress, as she slips her her mask back into place. Going from wrecked to unreadable in seconds.
“Thank you, Robert.”
“Is there anything else you need, sir?” He asks, already inching toward the door like he wants to live to see tomorrow.
“No, that will be all.”
He practically sprints out, shutting the door behind him with more speed than grace.
The second we’re alone, Raven turns on me, her eyes blazing. But it’s not desire that's behind them anymore, it's fury. They’re demanding answers I know I can’t delay any longer.
I watch her, catching the confusion swirling behind her eyes as she backs away. Her fingers clutching her necklace.
Thunder rumbles faintly in the distance, echoing the tension thickening in the room.
“Raven, listen—” I take a step closer, but she keeps retreating.
She’s putting distance between us. Physically and emotionally. Her eyes dart around the room, piecing it together faster than I’d like. If I don’t get ahead of this,she’ll come to her own conclusions, and I know they’ll be far worse than anything I could say.
I exhale, dragging a hand through my hair before meeting her stare head-on. “There are things you don’t know.”
A bitter laugh escapes her. “No shit.”
She paces, keeping her jaw clenched tight and her arms folded tightly across her chest like she’s trying to shield herself. She's trying to lock up whatever this is between us before I can touch it again.
Then she stops, hitting me with a look meant to burn me alive. It only makes me want to step closer.
“You have exactly two seconds to start explaining,” she warns, there’s a deadly edge beneath it. “Because right now, it sounds a hell of a lot like you lied to me.”
I didn’t lie. But I’m sure it looks like I did.
I drag in a breath, thinking about where to start. “I've got history, a life, a past—just like anyone else. At first, I didn’t tell you because, honestly? You were just someone here on vacation. I didn’t think it would matter.” I pause, clenching my jaw. “And because I didn’t know how you would react.”
Her arms stay locked over her chest, and her expression stays unreadable. I’m sure she’s waiting to see if she can catch me in something.
“I still don’t understand what exactly you’re trying to say.” She’s holding herself together by a thread. I see it in the flush on her cheeks, the way her fingers tighten against her sides.
I hold her gaze. “For starters… this is my estate.”
Her lips part slightly, and her eyes go wide.
