Page 30 of Surrender (Angels Halo MC Next Gen)

Crystal took her seat and actually picked up the phone on the first ring. Coffee mug in each hand, I turned to go, but I paused behind her chair. Bending my knees, I lowered my head so I could speak quietly into her ear that didn’t have the phone pressed to it.

“If I see you within three feet of Elias again, I will torch your car,” I promised, keeping my voice light and sweet. “If you try to touch him, I will do it while you’re still inside.” I took a sip of my coffee, sighing with pleasure when the fragrant roast flavor danced over my tongue. “And if you actually touch him, I’ll make sure you’re completely conscious during the entire thing.”

I straightened and smiled down at her when she gave me a scathing look.

Aw, she didn’t believe me.

Adorable.

“I made plenty of coffee. It’s delicious. Be sure to have yourself a cup. Life is far too short. Enjoy the little things. While you still can. Toodles.”

CHAPTERSIXTEEN

samara

Wednesday was over soon,thank Christ. I was all the more thankful that Thursday morning, I woke up to Elias with his head between my legs, eating me for breakfast. Not even my mom and brother attempting to call me throughout the day—which I completely ignored—could bring me down from the pleasure high I walked around in.

Even better was when I fell asleep that night on top of him, both our bodies slowly cooling after hours of being insatiable for each other. When I woke up Friday morning, however, I knew I couldn’t keep missing my daily runs. Elias might give me a hell of a workout all night long, but I couldn’t risk getting lazy.

Budapest was still too fresh in my mind. Using that for my motivation, I reluctantly left a still-sleeping Elias in my bed. It would have been so easy to climb in beside him, cuddle up, and fall back to sleep. Or push the sheet off his hips and return the favor of waking him with my mouth.

My heart wasn’t in the run. I’d only skipped two days, but it was enough for the muscles around my recent gunshot wound to tighten up. My entire thigh was on fire with pain before I reached the halfway mark. My mother’s voice in the back of my head shouting at me to keep running only pissed me off.

On my way back, I ran into my running friend. Red gave me another chin lift and a smile this time, her blue eyes warm. My eyes scanned over her, taking in her long legs and slender physique, making sure she wasn’t hurt. She was gorgeous, even sweating through her clothes and with flyaways sticking to her cheeks and forehead. A part of me that was still human wanted to grab her and shake her, however.

Didn’t she know how dangerous it was to run alone? Was she clueless to the monsters that preyed on beautiful girls? Creswell Springs was safer than most places, but fuck, she screamed innocent, and I wanted to protect her so damn badly.

But she was also an adult, and I couldn’t exactly lecture her when I was doing the same thing.

She just didn’t know that I was one of the monsters lurking in the shadows that could potentially harm her. Clocking her steps, I watched her until she was out of sight before continuing home, fighting back the need bubbling up again that screamed to protect her.

Reaching the apartment parking lot later than expected because I hadn’t been able to achieve my normal speed, I saw several of my neighbors already leaving for work.

“Sammy?” I turned toward my name and gave Chance a tight smile as I tried not to limp. Sweat had glued my clothes to me and was rolling down my skin as if I’d been running through the sprinklers like I used to do with Nova when I was a little girl. “You okay?”

“Yup. Couldn’t be better.” Which was the truth. My leg pain and sore body were just an annoyance. Finally having Elias made anything and everything better. Times a million.

“Did you pull a muscle?” He frowned down at my bare legs with concern. “Or sprain an ankle?”

Damn it, my discomfort must have been more pronounced than I realized. Grimacing, I rubbed my throbbing thigh. “No, it’s a recent injury that is still healing. Didn’t get my run in the last two days, so my thigh is complaining. Just need to keep it loose.”

Crouching down, he examined my leg without touching me. When he saw the scar, his brows pinched together. Tilting his head slightly, he frowned up at me. “How old is this?”

He had the same blue eyes as Elias. The same dark hair. It didn’t take a genealogist to know who was related when it came to the Reid family. But none of them could take my breath away like Elias.

Chance glowering at me from below did nothing but amuse me. “Old enough. That’s how you prefer them, isn’t it?”

Shaking his head, he stood, one side of his mouth twitching as he fought a smile. “I don’t do jailbait. Sorority girls just want to have a little fun. Might as well help them out.” He stepped closer. “Have you ever joined a sorority, Sammy?”

“I’m not knocking it, but it wasn’t my scene. I had more important things to focus on.” Like watching Elias’s every move.

An apartment door on the first floor opened, the one that had the electrical issues earlier in the week. I barely flicked a glance that way as a woman in a pair of green scrubs stepped out. I smiled and laughed as Chance made a joke, but my sickness was bouncing around, agitation making it difficult to keep from fidgeting.

A pretty woman in green scrubs that hugged her curves like a second skin. It couldn’t be comfortable working all day with those pants glued to her thighs and ass. It was a nice ass, though, better than mine.

Did she do squats?

Did Elias like her ass?

---