Page 157 of Insatiable

He nods, but I see his hesitation over leaving me.

“Miss Rhodes,” he says to Stacey, trying to usher her on.

She shakes her head. “Please, Kade.”

“Go,” I tell Stacey. “Don’t reach out to me. They’ll have my phone.”

She looks broken as she nods in agreement, taking a few steps towards the stairs, then stopping and running back to me.

Time stands still as our mouths collide in a deep, desperate kiss as she throws herself into my arms. I pull her to me as her lips move, part, and we open to each other, letting our tongues finally taste. I lift her off her feet and walk towards the steps. Her legs wrap around me, and I revel in the softness of her mouth.

It’s like I’m visiting heaven while living in hell. But I want to steal her and bring her to my chaos, set fucking fire to her world and keep her in mine.

Not even the devil could take this moment from me.

This is what I wanted to do earlier. I wanted to taste her moans and suck on her tongue, to swallow her gasps as I pushed into her.

Instead, I’m tasting her tears, swallowing her inconsolable sobs as she begs me to come on the plane with her.

“I’ll tell you everything,” she says. “I promise I’ll tell you everything.”

I’ve no idea what she’s talking about.Everything?

“We can make it work,” she adds. “We can help each other.”

“Sir, we need to leave right now.”

My nose nudges hers. “It’s over. It’s been over for two years. If we keep doing this, you’ll be killed.”

She sobs and shakes her head. “No.”

I press my mouth to hers again as I lower her to her feet. “I can’t be selfish.”

Stacey takes a step back, covering her mouth with the back of her hand, tears falling down her face, and I don’t want to let go of her other hand. A lump is in my throat, my chest is tight, and I want to keep kissing her. I want to go with her.

But then our fingers separate, and she turns away.

It’s over as soon as it starts – I let go of her forever, and she’s vanishing into the jet, not daring to give me one last look. Everything else is done. We’re done. And that’s how it needs to be. I’ll stay away from her. I’ll do anything to make sure Bernadette never finds her.

Barry stands at the top of the metal stairs, looking behind me, and I know I’m screwed. “Keep her safe,” I say. “Don’t worry about me.”

The door of the jet closes, and I blow out a breath and shove my hand into my hair. I can hear all the cars now. Speeding. I guess the team I had on the gates is dead. Everyone who was on shift and didn’t make it to the jet is dead. So many innocent lives lost, all because they were loyal to me.

At least Stacey is safe.

I light a joint and watch the jet back into the runway, and relief fills me as it takes to the sky, carrying Stacey away from trouble. I blow out toxic smoke as a gun is pressed to the back of my head.

Everything goes dark as pain smacks into my skull.

39

KADE

My body jerks as frigid water splashes over me. “Wake the fuck up.”

I gasp and try to catch my breath. I’m strapped to a chair in front of a table. Archie is sitting opposite me with a folder, ankle to his knee, dressed in his usual navy suit.

A guy with an empty bucket is standing beside me, bulletproof vest and all, and I make sure to remember his face, so I can fucking mutilate him.

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