Page 64 of The Untamed

Raegan follows stubbornly behind me. She’s pissed at Wild, but what else is new?

Oh, that’s right. Punching him is new.

She’s going to get into so much shit over this.

I’d actually looked forward to hanging out with Wild and the people he brought with him, but Raegan’s more important. She always comes first.

Does that put Ryder second?

My heart lurches in my chest. Thoughts of the other night, his hand stroking me off and his mouth on mine, assault me like hail in a vicious storm. Each memory is bruising.

I had a sexual encounter with my brother.

It appeared we’d squashed it and were both doing a great job of keeping our minds off it when we’d overheard Jace and CJ trash-talking Destiny. Somehow, during that moment, flames of lust ignited once more with a few stolen glances.

And then…

Then things got weird.

Ryder was yelling at Michael and Owen and Dad. He was damn near panicking about incest that led to him running off. I’d been poised to go after him despite the judging stares of our visitors, but Dad beat us to the punch.

Whatever Dad said to Ryder broke him.

He hasn’t spoken a word of real substance to me since. I’ve been dying to get him alone, to force him to look at me, and demand he spill whatever Dad said to him.

Is he in trouble?

“Ryder was quiet,” Raegan says as we enter the gate of our property and head toward my cabin. “Did you guys catch the bad men?”

My stomach tightens knowing those monsters got away. “No. They’re still out there, but Dad thinks we ran them off.”

When we reach the cabin, I notice Destiny isn’t inside, which means she’s probably helping Mom at the big house. I’m glad Reagan and I will be awarded this rare moment of privacy now that our property is overrun by people. I guide her over to the bed and we crawl into our usual spots. She smells like strawberries and I smell like ass.

Despite me desperately needing a shower or a quick dunk in the river, she snuggles against me, splaying her punching hand on my chest. Avoiding her gaze, I pick it up, inspecting it for serious injuries. She whines and groans when I push and prod, but it’s evident nothing is broken.

“You could have broken your hand,” I chide, bringing her middle knuckle to my mouth and kissing it.

She huffs, her breath tickling over my chest. “I wish I had broken his face.”

“The great Wild Knox was bleeding,” I tease, chuckling. “I’d say you achieved your goal.”

A cute giggle escapes her and I squeeze her to me.

“You smell like dirty underwear,” Raegan says, plucking at my shirt.

“And to think I’m not even wearing underwear.”

She stiffens and then pops up on one elbow. “What?”

Heat floods my cheeks and I feel like an idiot for blurting that out. What happened between me and Ryder was both horrible and amazing. Keeping it bottled in damn near hurts.

“Ro,” she grumbles. “Tell me. Did you…you know…with Logan?”

The goofy smile on my lips pulls into a quick frown. “Uhhh…”

“Out with it. I need to know every detail. You dirty dog!”

I close my eyes for a moment, trying to remember the kiss I shared with Logan. It feels like eons ago. Later that night with Ryder was more potent and raw, coating my every cell with blissful memory.

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