Page 14 of Fu*kboys in Flannel

“Quit fucking following me. Track her on your own. If you know her so well, it shouldn’t be a fucking problem for you.” He heaves himself up and takes off to the left of me, disappearing within seconds. I watch the dark green swallow him up and I fall back with a huff.

I glance up, looking at the night sky, bursting through the canopy of trees and just allow myself a moment.

I know she’s close by. I can feel it in my bones. Doesn’t hurt that Grey told us where he was dropping her off at.

Knowing Grey, that’s not the actual drop point, but he wouldn’t have strayed too far. He enjoys watching us act like rats in his maze.

I get up and head right because fuck if I’m gonna have anyone think I can’t track on my own.

I move silently, with only my thoughts fueling me for ten minutes, before I hear her up ahead.

I know it’s her because there’s no way Mason would be that fucking loud.

“I’m gonna fucking catch you, little spitfire. And when I get my hands on you… girl you are in for it.” I yell out, letting my voice echo all around.

Her harsh pants follow, creating a symphony of noise in the forest and are going to lead Mason straight to us if she doesn’t shut the fuck up soon.

I fucking knew I would reach her before he did.

I can’t wait to rub this in his face later.

“We gave you a choice. We left it in your hands, but you failed. So now I’m making the choice for you. It’s me. Fucking touch my brother again and murder will happen.”

“Nev-never! I won’t choose and I am already prepared to die.” She stumbles over her words when she’s trying to catch her breath.

“Oh, did you think I meant you? Oh no baby. If it comes down to it, I’ll kill him. My own brother. I’ll throw him off Violent Peak and watch his body tumble until he finally lands. I’ll gaze down, watching the blood pool from his broken body and then I’ll pull you to the edge to watch the last breaths leave him,” I tell her, knowing full fucking well how unlikely this would happen. I’ve never been able to best him, but neither has he. We are two sides of the same coin.

“I fucking hate you, Bennett.” Venom drips from her voice and I let it wash over me before I take off in a run, heading right towards where her voice rang out from.

I see the bright red of her hair through the brush, and I round it and there she is, leaning down with her hands on her knees.

I try to slow down but I can’t stop my momentum and I slam right into Tessa, taking her down to the forest floor. I have enough sense to cup her head and back in order to minimize her contact with the hard ground. I need her off balanced but not fucking concussed.

Although I doubt Grey would care if I knocked her out or not at this point. He’s so fucking fed up with her. I could tie her up in the cabin and squirrel her away for a while and he wouldn’t bat an eye.

Mason would, though, unfortunately. He’s in these woods somewhere, close by, hunting her just like I was. He thought he was going to catch her first and he might have, if not for his one fatal flaw… his anger clouds all rational thought.

“Caught you, spitfire. It’s cute you really thought you could outrun me, let alone leave. Your first mistake was thinking Remy would help you. Unless your name is Mia and your pussy drips platinum for him, then you were always gonna be fucked.” I lean down, whispering the last part in her ear as I press my lower body firmly into hers. I want her to feel how fucking hard I am right now. Chasing and taunting her has my dick ready to bust out of the fabric and sink itself into her warm body.

I feel her hands slapping my back and her legs kicking out, seeking something to connect with. Good luck, baby.

“Get off of me, you fucking oaf. You feel like dead weight, and I can’t breathe.” She’s feeling particularly snarky, judging by the tone in her voice.

“You can breathe just fine, otherwise you wouldn’t be able to spit your baby venom at me. If I didn’t want you to pull in oxygen, we both know I would do a lot more than sit on you. You feel up to drowning again, baby?” I tease her with the facts.

“Just fucking let me go, Bennett. I’m tired. Exhausted really. You and Mason are toxic for me, and you keep infecting me with your poison. I won’t choose. I’ve said it over and over. I’ve shown it. There is nothing either of you can do to make me choose. Just let me go. I won’t leave this fucking mountain. I can’t. My cousin will just drag me back every time. But I need you and your brother to let it die. Whatever we had between us, just let it die.” She’s pleading towards the end and the organ inside my chest thumps almost in sympathy. Almost.

“No. Letting you go is not on my bingo card for this year or next. I’ve wanted you for years, Tessa. Fucking years. I didn’t pursue it out of respect for your cousin, and because I was going through my hoe phase.” I’m nothing if not honest. I’m no fucking saint when it comes to sex, and I did have a hoe phase.

“Such a gentleman. Good for you. I don’t give a crap about who you’ve been with. I know our connection. I also know my connection with Mason. I’ve always taken you two’s side over anyone else but never against each other. I don’t know why that would change because you demand it. Not everyone bends and crumbles under the will of the Ravens.” Such a fucking spitfire. The fire blazing in her eyes right now is almost enough to have me coming like a teenage boy during his first wet dream.

Her cheeks are flushed red, damn near matching her hair, and this is exactly why I want her to choose me. I want to bottle this up and keep it all to myself. Hoard it like a hobbit of Hollow Hill. I laugh out loud at that and it only causes the anger in Tessa to turn hotter.

“Don’t fucking laugh at me, Bennett Slade. I’m not a fucking toy for your amusement. Or any of the Ravens, for that matter. If you wanted me to choose, you sure as fuck are going about it the wrong way.”

“I love it when you fight me, baby. But just so we’re clear, I wasn’t fucking laughing at you. I was amused at my own fucking thoughts and how much I want to hide you away. I’m a fucking asshole, you are right about that. But making you the butt of jokes is never gonna be on my list. Remember that next time you want to try and insult me as well.” I lean up enough to look her up and down, trailing my eyes over everything I can see. My mouth waters and my dick throbs and I can’t decide what I want to sink into first.

“I want you, Tessa. More than I’ve wanted anything else, and I will have you. Here and now.” I leave no room for doubt as I capture her lips in a searing kiss, pouring every ounce of desire from my veins into her. She said we infect her, and I plan to keep that tradition going.

---