Page 78 of Midnights
Which means there’s a fucking reason for that.
“It’s handled,” he mutters, like that will somehow settle the fire burning through my veins.
Not fucking likely.
“Good.” I don’t look up from my phone as I type out a message to Tyler.
Raven doesn’t want a fuss, but that doesn’t mean I’ll let my guard down. If there's more to this, Iwillfind out.
Just before the anger took over, and before my focus shifted entirely to the bruise on her arm, there was something else. Something that completely blindsided me.
For three full seconds, my brain fucking short-circuited. Every rational thought in my head evaporated, leaving nothing but a singular, driving impulse to throw her over my shoulder, carry her straight back to her room, and lock the door behind us.
Fuck the bruise.
Fuck the conversation.
I wanted my hands on her. My mouth. My teeth. I wanted all of her.
She has no idea what she does to me. That sun-kissed skin of hers is practically begging to be touched.
I felt it in every inch of me, the pull to close the distance and see her melt against me like she did the first time. My body responded instantly.
All I could think about was pushing her up against the nearest surface, and pulling those hard nipples right in my mouth. My hands itched to pin her wrists above her head, to tear those flimsy little shorts off her body and see just how wet she was.
I was mid-fantasy, imagining the sounds she’d make, when she turned around and I saw the bruise on her arm.
Just like that, the heat in my veins shifted into something darker. We should rain check the fucking castle. The whole plan suddenly feels like a very bad idea. I’m not sure I can be on my best behavior today. Not with my blood still boiling from knowing what happened to her and my mind stuck on all the filthy things I want to do.
Very bad things.
The kind I'm sure she’d enjoy.
But I'm not even going to let myself go there.
I shove those thoughts down, forcing them somewhere they can’t distract me. There's a reason I thrive in my line of work; I operate best when I’m in control. I anticipate every variable before it happens. It’s how I’ve always been.
But she’s fucking chaos. A wildflower that grows wherever the hell she pleases. She's unpredictable as hell, saying whatever comes to mind with thatsharp tongue of hers. The problem is, I don’t know what she’ll do next, and it’s driving me insane.
But one thing’s for damn sure. I’m going to find out exactly who that guy is, and he’s going to pay for putting his hands on her. At the very least, he’ll be blacklisted from every pub in the area. No one touches a woman like that and walks away without consequences.
Cam and I move through the house quietly checking every lock and every window. I don’t know if they walked home last night or got a ride, but I'm not taking any fucking chances. My gut is still twisting, something gnaws at the edge of my thoughts that I can’t quite place.
It's forgotten a few minutes later when they finally come out, ready to go.
Those leggings are going to be the death of me.
I don’t react. But I clock the way they hug every curve, moving with her as she walks. It takes everything I have to keep my eyes on her face.
With a single nod, we step outside. I can't help but track the way Raven locks up the house, making sure she double-checks the door. Satisfied, I open the door for her, watching her ass as she slides in.
I don’t know why I feel this unsettled.
I push the thought aside as we leave the city behind. The further we get into the countryside, the more the tension in my chest eases. I’ve always liked this drive. There’s something about watching the land open up, shifting from stone and steel to endless rolling green in every direction. The road leading into the Highlands is a personal favorite. The hills rise like ancient sentinels, stretching toward the sky.
Maybe I should tell them to add it to their list of things to see. For now, I lean back, letting the view and the quiet hum of conversation calm my nerves.
The gates swing open as we approach. The car rumbles down the long driveway and I can hear the gravel crunching beneath the tires. I barely reach for my door handle before Raven jumps out, practically bouncing onto the path.
