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“I’m not a good man, Raven. They have no idea the lengths I’d go to keep someone I care about safe.”
I search his gaze, desperate to make sense of everything. “I don’t understand.”
His fingers flex on the back of my neck, and I tilt my chin up on reflex. My lips part on an exhale as he hovers over my mouth. Our faces are too close together, I can’t read his expression, but I can feel how tightly coiled he is right now. He reminds me of a viper, readying himself for an attack.
Without a word, he eliminates the space between us and presses a hard kiss against my mouth. He doesn’t try to deepen it, pulling back before I can really respond.
“There’s a lot we need to talk about, but now isn’t the time. I need to call in a favor.”
Confusion sits heavy in my mind. “A favor?”
He steps back, his fingers trailing against my collarbone before he grabs his phone from his pants pocket. His thumb flies across the screen for a moment before he darkens it and stuffs it back in his pocket. He flutters his fingertips of his free hand along his pant leg, the anxious tell barely visible.
“Rafe Rhodes. What a sight for sore eyes you are.”
The sultry tenor of her voice catches me by surprise. I turn to see who the voice belongs to, only to find Aries’s back in front of my face. When did he move in front of me? My brows dip, confusion swirling my thoughts together and jumbling everything up.
“King.”
He slides his hands into his pockets, the stupid move looks good from behind too. Aries’s voice is downright jovial, and something about it irks me. It eliminates the last vestiges of my fog. Indignation rumbles in my veins, quicker than I thought possible. It’s the only explanation I have for what I do next.
Without a moment to think everything through, I step around Aries and stop in front of him.
“Hi. I’m Madison.” My hand hangs in the air, extended between us, before I even realize I thrust it toward her.
Several inches taller than me without the six-inch heels, she’s runway-model height, and holy shit does she look like she belongs on one. Long strawberry-blonde hair, perfect dewy skin, big blue eyes framed with long dark lashes. If I wasn’t already so acquainted with my men, I might be intimidated by her. Intensity rolls off her in waves, but she’s got nothing on Aries.
Who, by the way, is growling underneath his breath as he steps into me, his front flush against my back. He slides his arm around my waist in a move that can only be described as possessive. I’m not sure if it’s more for her benefit or mine. The feel of his warm palm against my abdomen radiates prickles of consciousness through my body. Whatever fog that hangs around my senses fully evaporates.
She slides her palm into mine with such grace, a fluid movement that piques my curiosity. The same curiosity peers back at me from her eyes. She rakes her teeth across her bottom lip, painted in a deep blue-red that compliments her tone so well, a flare of friendly jealousy sparks inside my gut. With my dark auburn hair, I can never wear a red lip.
“My, my, my. What have you been hiding from us, Rafe, hmm? She is delightful.” She squeezes my hand, and not a masculine display of power, rather a prolonged slow handshake.
“And you are?” I slide my hand from hers and let it hang by my side, content in Aries’s arms.
“Oh, of course. Where are my manners? I’m Delilah Hale.” She touches her collarbone and drags her hand slowly toward her shoulder where she literally flips her hair back.
“Knock it off, King.” Aries’s words are more growl than man, and my chest tightens with apprehension. I shift my weight, settling into him more firmly.
“Oh, Rafe. I seem to remember you were a lot more playful in London.” She pouts, but the expression looks a little strange on her expertly made-up face. It lasts for all of three seconds before it falls from her face like a lead balloon. Gone are the flirty looks and the faux pouts, and in their places are determination and annoyance. “Fine. But if you blow my cover, I’m going to plant a particularly nasty rumor about you.”
Aries doesn’t respond, but I can feel his impatience closing in, like one of those fun houses at the fair we went to as kids. The walls start slowly creeping closer while the ceiling lowers. He doesn’t say a word, but she doesn’t seem surprised by his silence. Or maybe she just has a really good poker face.
She rolls her eyes and reaches out her hand toward me. “Fiona King. Except for tonight. Tonight I’m Delilah Hale, debutante and arm candy.”
“Okay. Nice to meet you.” I reach for her hand, but Aries’s hand on my forearm stops me. I look over my shoulder at him, and my breath catches at the look on his face.
“No. No more bullshit. We need to get to a plane, and we need to leave now. Rumor has it you arrived in a helicopter with your little gang of douchebag trust fund kids. We need to borrow it and your pilot.”
Fiona crosses her arms over her chest, boosting her tits up. I peak out of the corner of my eye to see where Aries’s gaze is. I wouldn’t blame him if it strayed to her impressive body, but to my absolute delight, his gaze never waivers from her face. He pulls me infinitely closer to him, curling his hand around my hip. I refocus my gaze on Fiona with a smirk dancing along the corner of my mouth.
Then I remember why we need the helicopter, and it slips from my face.
She shrugs her shoulders and uncrosses her arms, a smirk playing along the edge of her lips. “Fine. But I’ll fly you. I got what I needed, and I’m done here anyway. Then, you can keep your hands clean, since I know you won’t drop me in the middle of the Atlantic.
