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Riven jerked his head toward the house. “You guys go ahead. I’m going to grab my gun and hit the range with Hunter.”
He wiped the sweat from his palms on the back of his pants. Tight, ribbed stomach muscles drew my focus. He was leaner now, harder on himself in the days since the attack. Almost punishing himself when he barely ate and ran almost all the time. Unless he was shooting with his brother.
He gripped the back of my neck and pulled me closer before he kissed me. Salty lips smashed against mine. I opened my mouth, dropped my guard, and gave myself to the sensation.
The sharp breeze snatched at my hair, cooling the sweat on my skin. My nipples tightened, that heady rush brewing like a storm inside me, until he broke away, staring into my eyes.
“You okay?”
I took a second to search my thoughts before I answered. “Yeah.”
“Good.” He hinted a smile, then stepped away. “I’ll see you later.”
“I’ll see you later.” I repeated.
But he was already gone, striding away along the edge of the ridge as Hunter headed in the same direction from the base.
Thomas watched me for a second, then turned, moving slow enough down the ridge for me to catch up. My foot slipped, leaving me to skid and run until I reached the bottom.
“Showers?” I asked, but I didn’t wait for him to answer, just strode toward the house.
I was aware of him, his steps crunching behind me, his breaths at my back as I opened the back door and headed inside. I yanked my shirt over my head as I kicked off my sneakers, pushed them aside, and headed for the front of the house and the stairs.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
I climbed, stopping at the top of the stairs before I turned around. “Thomas…I…”
He grabbed me and his powerful hands gripped my chin as he stared into my eyes. I could melt in them, searching the glistening soft brown for the sparks that ignited. My lips parted as I waited for him to lean close and press his soft lips to mine.
But he didn’t. He just waited, like he always did, hovering in the corner of the room or in the doorway, watching me with Hunter or me with Riven and Kane. He was always watching, always waiting…always…yearning.
“I’ll go shower.” He said carefully, lowered his hand, then slowly stepped away.
The pang in my chest was instant, watching him walk away like that…like he…deserved the pain. I opened my mouth to speak, but he was gone, stepping into the room at the far end of the hall, the hiss of the shower coming seconds later.
I made for Riven’s room, working the hooks of my bra, then shoved down my shorts and peeled off my socks. The hot water was soothing, running over my shoulders and my hair. I washed and shampooed, then switched the water off.
I ached for him.
I looked toward the door, knowing he was in there feeling the same for me. So why the fuck won’t he give in? My pulse raced and my breaths deepened. I licked my lips, telling myself my hunger had been sated with the others. I ran my fingers through my damp hair, then dropped them to my breasts, remembering last night.
God, they’d sated me.
Still, The Priest.
The Priest wouldn’t give in.
He lingered at the edges of my subconscious, like a tiny burr in my shoe. I needed this burr, desperate to pluck it free from where it was nestled deep in the soft padding of my mind. These were my favorite shoes, ones I'd longed for my entire life.
“That’s it.” I dropped my hands and strode out of the bathroom, naked.
Until I stopped.
On the floor next to the bed were the cuffs Riven had used on me when he’d chained my ankles as well, until they’d spread my knees wide, leaving me exposed. I couldn’t get out of them, and if I couldn’t, maybe they were perfect for…
