Page 39 of Enspelled

Again, I feel him glance over at me. “There’s no point that it’s ever easy.”

Now I turn to meet his gaze. “That isn’t what you were telling the guy from Texas before. You said it wasn’t that hard.”

His expression shutters so completely, it’s like trying to read the surface of a stone. Or a pool of stagnant water. “We’re not talking about that.”

A ripple of anger sweeps through me, making my voice a little sharper than it was before. “Why? Because killing is so easy that it’s just a waste of time to even discuss it?”

He doesn’t say a word, and I turn away, reaching for the handle. “I need fresh air.”

Outside, the air is cool on my face, and itshouldfeel refreshing. Ishouldfeel like it’s easier to breathe being outside, but I don’t.

The memory of Diana’s dead eyes staring up at me flashes in my mind, and I’m almost positive I taste her blood in my mouth again. It doesn’t matter that I brushed my teeth for nearly twenty minutes before we left Erin Sue’s house, or that I’ve eaten multiple times since I killed her. The taste is always there.

I lean my back against the side of the truck and close my eyes, trying to steady my breathing.

“Slow deep breaths,” a male voice murmurs from less than a foot away.

I didn’t even hear Keane get out of the truck or his boots striking the ground, yet somehow, he’s right in front of me.

“Briar. Slow deep breaths.”

I try, but it feels like my breathing is only getting more ragged. “I can’t.”

He steps even closer, one hand sliding under my hair to curve my nape. “You’re not trying hard enough.”

My eyes snap open. “I’m not like you,” I snap. “I can’t find killing easy or wake up one morning and just decide to kill someone. I can’t…” Tears fill my eyes. “I can’t forget about the things I do and pretend I’m okay with it.”

The tears slide down my cheeks. “I just can’t.”

Keane lifts a hand, his thumb brushing a tear away. “Diana Calla deserved to die.” I lift my hand and shove at his chest. “That’s supposed to make it easier? It’s supposed to make me forget about the taste of her blood in my mouth or—”

He lowers his head, and his lips touch mine, silencing me.

I freeze, my eyes locked on his.

He slides both hands to cradle my face before breaking the soft kiss.

“You kissed me,” I breathe as a warm feeling flutters in my belly.

“I did. You were panicking.”

I can still taste him on my lips, so I lick them. His eyes darken. “I’m not panicking now.”

His head lowers. “No, you’re not.”

My eyes flutter closed as his lips press against mine, and I release the breath I was holding but didn’t realize until this moment.

He steps closer, his hips flush against mine as he angles his head and strokes the tip of his tongue along the seam of my lips.

There’s no question about what he wants: me to part them. And there’s no hesitation before I do. I swallow his groan as his tongue brushes against mine.

This is insane, I tell myself. I’m letting a wolf kiss me in the grocery store parking lot in the middle of the morning. And people want us dead.

But none of that matters as much as it should. All I care about is the taste of him, and the sweet firmness of his lips against mine.

This wolf knows how to kiss.

I slide my hands down his lower back and into his jeans pocket, urging him even closer as I rise to my tiptoes so he’s pressing even more of himself against me.

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