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I could feel Paisley gulp. The emotion that leapt as she leaned up higher and kissed the side of Evelyn’s head and murmured, “Goodnight, sweet girl. I’ll see you in the morning.”
It tremored like an oath. Like she was promising she would be there for one of them for the rest of Evelyn’s life.
My chest stretched tight with that feeling I kept trying to ignore, and when she stood, I moved out and took Paisley’s suitcases the rest of the way into her room.
She stood behind me.
The air sparked.
A shiver of greed.
Antsy and alive.
I turned, and need pummeled me at the sight of her standing there. I wanted to lay her out on that bed she’d been spread out for me on last night and take her the right way.
Make her beg and scream and moan.
Feast on her pussy.
Devour her body.
Instead, I edged toward her, set my palm on her cheek, and murmured, “This is your home now, Paisley. Whatever you need, it’s yours. Don’t hesitate to ask for it.” The words came out low. Too fucking possessive.
Because I wanted her. Wanted her in a way I’d never wanted anyone or anything before. I just didn’t know how I could keep her.
TWENTY-SEVEN
CALEB
Thunder crashed and rain pounded at the windows. It mixed with the roar that ripped from my mouth.
Guttural.
Pained.
A staggering agony that shot me upright in bed.
“Kimberly. No. No.”
Visions continued to flash, no matter how hard I squeezed my eyes to try to stop them.
The drizzle of freezing cold rain.
The puddle of blood.
Lifeless eyes.
What I had done.
I ripped at my hair as I fought the cry that wanted to erupt from my throat.
Guilt and grief slaying me through.
I couldn’t breathe.
Couldn’t see.
Could only feel the wraiths and demons spinning around my room.
Their playground.
The wickedness I had invited in.
As if I’d summoned them, then cast them out on three innocent souls. I’d been bred to be a monster, but I’d been aware. For years, I’d done it like it was my duty. Without question.
With bloodthirst and greed.
A light tapping sounded on my door, and I jerked my head up, glaring at the wood.
“What?” It left me on a growl. The last thing I wanted was for someone to see me like this.
The knob turned, and a wedge of muted light poured in from the hall when the door was pushed partway open.
Paisley stood in the doorway, hanging onto the knob, hair a glowing white halo around her head.
Reckless Angel.
Having no clue what she was stepping toward.
“Are you okay?” she whispered.
“I’m fine.” It was rough, piercing the dense, toiling air.
She padded forward like she refused to accept what I’d said.
A beautiful temptation.
She came to stand at the edge of my bed.
Lust fisted my guts, and I clenched my teeth as I looked at her through the shadows. “You should go back to bed.”
She set her knee on the bed, then climbed up. “How about I stay right here?”
She slipped under the covers and snuggled into me.
Shock locked my tongue as that energy crashed through the room.
Foreign and so right.
“Paisley,” I finally managed to warn.
“I’m afraid of the thunder.” She snuggled closer where my heart was ravaging at my chest.
“Liar.” Still, my arm instinctively curled around her body, tugging her close, relishing the heat. The connection. This need.
“You can tell me,” she whispered.
“No, I can’t,” I rumbled at the top of her head.
She hummed like she would take it on, anyway.
Thirty seconds later, she was asleep in my arms, and I was wondering what the fuck had just happened.
This girl in my bed.
Her breaths steady.
Her goodness spreading into my room.
Chaos and light and life.
I should send her back to her bed.
Untangle myself and go sleep in another guest room.
Instead, I pulled her closer, whispered, “Reckless Angel, I already warned you I’m not a good man.”
“Hello, do you want eggs?”
I blinked out of the momentary stupor when Paisley waved the spatula in the air to get my attention.
Oh, but she’d had my attention.
It took me until then to realize she’d been asking me a question. I’d been too fixated on the way her lips moved around the words that I hadn’t begun to process what she’d said.
Because there she was, all bright, shiny rays standing in my kitchen at the stove.
Wearing the same outfit that was going to drive me to disaster, the soft curve of her butt cheeks peeking out from the sleep shorts, the girl barefoot and that mane of white tossed into a messy heap on top of her head.
I cleared my throat. “I didn’t hire you to make me breakfast, Ms. Dae.”
The hint of a smirk played at the edge of her mouth as she began to plate scrambled eggs.
“Well, since I’m already in here making them for Evelyn and me, I don’t see the harm in you reaping the benefits of having me here.”
