She wasn’t scared.
I didn’t want to be the man who held her back.
“Fuck,” I groaned, letting her go. “Jesus. Give me those and go upstairs and get something else on. Jeans. A sweatshirt. Got a couple of balaclavas?”
Her mouth dropped open. “You’re coming with me?”
“Fang would probably run over my balls with his motorcycle if I didn’t. Especially since Kian is slacking on the bodyguard duties.”
She cocked her head. “That the only reason you’re coming?”
No. I’m coming because you’re beautiful. Because I can’t think straight when you’re not around. Because I have all these damn feelings and thoughts about protecting you, keeping you safe, and worse, making you mine. Because I tried to play them off as brotherly, or that I was fulfilling some vow to my father, but it’s just because you’re all I think about.
I couldn’t get those words out, but they played on a loop over and over in my head, each one getting louder until I lamely said, “I like balls.”
Rebel snorted.
“My balls. I meant I like my balls,” I corrected quickly, but the damage had clearly been done.
“Cupping them or sucking them?”
I glared at her.
“Shaven or au naturel?”
“I really hate you.”
She pulled on the string of my sweatpants and slipped her hand inside them, cupping me. “Just for the record, I like balls too.”
She squeezed gently before moving her hand up to my cock, giving it a few slow strokes.
“You’re a tease.” I bent down so my lips were closer to hers.
She pressed up on her toes and pecked my lips. A second later, the elastic on my underwear snapped back into place and she guided me toward the stairs. “I know. But come on. I’ll let you watch me get changed.”
I trailed up the stairs after her. “Ooh. Fireproof clothes. So sexy. Can’t wait.”
She glanced back at me over her shoulder. “It would be so easy to push you down these stairs right now, Vaughn.”
“So full of violence today,” I mumbled. “I wish I didn’t find that hot.”
We split up, Rebel going into her bedroom to get changed, me going into mine. We met a few minutes later at the bottom of the stairs, Rebel’s eyes bright.
My arms were full of all things required to make a fire. “We should cut through the woods behind the house and go the rest of the way on foot.”
Rebel shook her head. “No. What if they use dogs to track us? We’ll lead them straight back here.”
Well, that was a point. “Okay, so we drive halfway, leave the car on a side street somewhere, and then walk the rest of the way in.”
Rebel screwed up her nose. “I don’t know. Maybe we should call Scythe?”
I stared at her. “And what? Ask for pointers on burning a man alive?”
“Unless you know someone more qualified? War and Fang are already busy, so I don’t think we should bother them.”
“Not what I meant, Roach!” I shook my head. “How did I end up friends with you people?”
She patted my cheek. “Come on. If we’re going to get to your mom’s on time, we need to go now.”