Page 145 of The Blackened Blade

My breath comes out in small gasps, the heat between my thighs building to new heights with each touch and kiss.

“Micai–” Ezra groans low in my ear before he's suddenly pushed forward and cut off.

“The fuck!” Barks Annex as he steadies me and Ezra, his glare dark and cutting toward the group behind us.

“I’m so sorry.” Seria tries to place a hand on Ezra but he shirks her off, wrapping his arm around my waist, completely ignoring her as he checks me over.

“I didn’t mean to bump into you…” She gives me a small frown, her gaze sympathetic before they flicker to Ezra for his reaction. “I just lost my footing in these new shoes.”

She tries to give him a warm smile but he doesn't even look her way. So she turns her attention back toward me.

“Micai, you look…” Her eyes trail down my dress, a slight stiffening to her jaw, “...Really pretty.”

Her gaze flickers from Annex to Ezra. “Who are your–”

“Pretty?” Annex’s eyes narrow toward Seria, a demented incredulous look slashed across his face. “She’s fuckingbreath-taking.”

His grip on my hip tightens, pulling me into his side as he glares at a speechless Seria. I have to school the grin trying to spread on my lips with her look of surprise. I don’t think anyones ever been so outright hostile toward her. “You don’t need to know us, and wesure as fuckdon’t care about you, and your fucking shoes.” He bares his teeth, “The next time you act like some thick clutz, I’ll cut your fucking feet off.”

“Hey! What the hell do you think you're saying to her?!” Xander steps up in front of Seria, his normal dickhead glare set toward Annex.

“Her future if she keeping fucking breathing near us.” A slow demented grin spreads across Annex’s lips as his gaze turns toward Xander.

By the look on his face, I bet he’s imagining all the ways he would make Xander bleed. And the slight flinch from Xander tells me he sees it too.

I watch Annex reach for the blade he always keeps tucked into his back trousers. I squeeze the hand still holding my hip, trying to pull his focus to me, just as Knox, Kane and Anders come up beside Seria and Xander.

Seria takes a step closer, her hand gently falling onto Xanders chest as she gives him a small smile. Then she turns toward Ezra again.

“I’m not sure what Micai has told you about me…but I–”

Ezra looks toward Seria, but the expression on his face is so hard and cold, she flinches with just one glance toward him.

His gaze is more cutting than I’ve ever seen it before, his jaw tight and eyes narrowed as he looks back and forth between her and the boys behind her.

“Why do you think you’re so important?” He gives her a smile Annex would approve of, his voice stoney and cold. “Micai has never mentioned you, not once…and now I can see why.”

Her brows furrow, “There must be some misunderstanding. I’m her sister–”

Annex chuckles darkly, a humourless tone laced in his voice, sending even a shiver downmyspine with the sound of it. He notices, and takes my hand in his, lifting it up to his lips as he places a kiss along each finger. His piercing blue gaze meets mine as he opens his mouth, “She doesn’t need you or anyone else now. She has us.”

Ezra follows suit, entwining our fingers together, “She’s a part ofourfamily now.” He places a slow kiss along my knuckles, “We take care of our own.”

Seria’s gaze flickers between both boys before falling on me, her mouth slightly opening as she takes a step toward me. Annex shifts forward, placing himself to my front with Seria quickly freezing. His eyes narrow in a dark glare daring her to take another step closer.

“Back the fuck off.” Barks Xander as he pulls Seria behind him. “She’s only worried about her sister…” His eyes flicker to me behind Annex, “Not that she's worth worrying about.”

“What the fuck did you just say?!” Annex takes a step toward Xander, his frame a fraction taller as they go toe to toe with each other. Ezra tightens his grip on my hand, as if trying to hold himself back.

“Lets all calm down,” Anders steps in between Xander and Annex, trying to push them apart but only moving Xander as Annex doesn’t budge an inch. “There's no need for a fight.”

He looks at me and Ezra, his face slightly paling at Ezra's glare before flickering toward me.

“Seria didn’t mean any harm. She would never hurt you Micai. You know that–”

“Fuck, are youblindas well as deaf?” Annex grits out, his eyes more maniacal than before.

“Calm down, Annex,” Calls Ezra as he takes a deep breath, his eyes still dark and menacing. “There's no point in wasting your breath on them. Let them stay in their little delusion.”

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