Page 279 of Midnights
He shrugs, ignoring the fact that I just hit him. “Calm down, you’re fine.” His tone is so casual I could scream. Like I’m the one being dramatic. “Besides, I figured I'd come find you before you wandered too far. Don’t want anything… weird happening out here, do we?”
His grin falters slightly and I see him look behind me.
I sigh, dragging it out. “Fine. You scared the shit out of me back there!”
He laughs, stepping closer, and leans in just enough that my pulse jumps again.
“Noted.” His voice drops into that teasing tone of his. “I’ll try not to be so charming next time.”
“Charming?” I snort, shaking my head. “Not exactly the word I would’ve used. Idiot? Sure.”
He smiles, putting his arm around my shoulder. “Come on, Bird. You never know what might be waiting in the shadows.”
I roll my eyes because the only scary thing I've seen is him. “Great bedtime story,Frank. But I’m not scared of the shadows.”
Tyler stops mid-laugh. Looking at me like I just offended him. “Frank? The fuck for?”
I shrug, entirely unbothered. “Because you needed a nickname, too.”
“And you landed on… Frank?”
The disgusted look on his face weirdly makes me feel a lot better. Figures. He's the only one who can pull that off.
“I didn’t know what else to call you,” I say, waving a hand like it’s no big deal, even though I can tell he's two seconds away from throwing up. “So Frank seemed like a solid filler name. When I come up with something better, I'll let you know.”
He just stares at me, bewildered.
I grin, brushing past him, and head inside, laughing under my breath.
Raven -1. Tyler- Lost count.
Chapter 47
All Lies
Raven
They knew.
The realization tangles with all of my emotions. Comfort and anger clash together, making me feel all sorts of things. Why didn’t they ever tell me? Why keep something like this a secret?
The questions press against my ribs, as thick as the steam now curling around me.
I’m so distracted in my thoughts, the little lavender bottle falls into the bathtub. Well, guess I’m using the rest of the lavender haze tonight. I slip into the hot water, and the heat licks up my skin, chasing away the lingering chill in my bones. My muscles loosen instantly, but my mind is a different story. I take in long, deep breaths, forcing myself to sink into the feeling of the water.
I slip under the surface, letting the water drown out the noise, quieting my mind. I hold my breath, trying to calm the war in my head. Once I feel it start to creep in, I sit back up, resting my head on the rim of the tub.
My eyelids grow heavy as my body melts into the heat. My thoughts begin to blur.
I wake up in a bed that’s not mine.
The sheets are warm, tangled around my legs. The air smells like cedarwood and something darker.
My breath stills, realizing I'm not alone.
The room is still cloaked in shadows, but the warmth of another body beside me is unmistakable. I turn my head, and there he is.
Kane's laying next to me with an arm draped lazily over his very naked stomach. His chest rises and falls in an easy rhythm, making shadows trace the ridges of muscle, making him impossible to ignore.
