Page 132 of Pay for Your Lies

“Rhys.” I hear Thayer whisper hiss as her voice permeates through the mental fog. When I don’t answer, she pats my chest gently, pulling me out of a dead sleep. “Rhys!”

A soft rumble echoes warmly in my chest as she calls out my name, her voice airy and delicate as she takes care of that one syllable lovingly between her lips.

I’ve heard people say my name for almost nineteen years now and it’s never sounded anywhere near as sweet as when she spoke it last night.

I’d held my breath those long, painful, eternal seconds as I waited to see if she’d say it.

And she did.

She’d finally broken and given in to me.

The effects of her saying my name should be studied by scientists because the result was similar to a bomb detonation to the internal organs.

The blast pressure had radiated through me, generating immense amounts of energy that supercharged the blood pumping in my veins, making me feel like I was on the fringe of passing out.

I’d been effectively factory reset by one word.

Hours later, I can still feel the remnants of that feeling everywhere in my body.

“Mhmm?” I mumble incomprehensibly, curling my arm around her to bring her closer to me.

When we’d gotten back to my place after the party, we’d foraged for snacks in the kitchen. My hunger couldn’t be sated so I’d fucked her in the pantry instead.

We’d gone to bed satiated in more ways than one, and I’d curled my large frame around hers, using my legs and arms to trap her so she couldn’t leave if she tried.

“Are you awake?” She asks, and I finally peel open an eyelid to look down at her.

I can barely make out her face, it's still so dark out.

“What time is it?” I grunt out.

“Three am.” She answers and I groan loudly.

She laughs softly and both my eyes fly open to find her looking up at me from the crook of my arm.

“What?” I ask, gruffly. Before she can answer, I dip my head and cover her lips with mine in a soft kiss.

“You look so grumpy.”

“That’s because I am grumpy. It’s the crack of dawn, I’ve known Marines to get gentler awakenings than this.”

“Sorry,” she says with another laugh, with zero trace of an apology in her tone.

I kiss her again. I haven’t been able to stop since last night.

Just as I’d been energized by the way she’d said my name, finally laying eyes on her coming out of that bathroom after looking for her had sent a similar jolt through me.

Until I’d realized she’d been wearing Phoenix’s sweater.

And until the man in question had walked out that very same bathroom right behind her.

Venom had spread through my blood like the most aggressive of cancers, taking over and poisoning my mood until it was black.

I knew how strong my attraction was for her; how much I wanted her and was currently greedy to keep her, but even still I’d been shocked by the depth and fervor of the jealous rage that’d seared through me thinking she’d let someone else touch her.

I thought I’d been clear with her that she was off limits to everyone but me, but obviously I hadn’t.

I growl internally, annoyed at the thought, but dismiss it with a shake of my head.

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