Page 90 of Hide Little Traitor

It doesn’t matter that he’s hot. He’s an asshole who has gone out of his way to make my life miserable since I was fifteen and has been directly responsible for some of the worst moments of my life. Allowing myself to fall back into his trap will only get me hurt, and I’ve felt enough pain at the hands of Lombardi men for a hundred lifetimes.

I serve up another round of pancakes and deliberate what to do with them. I thought the others would be up by now, and I have no doubt that Ryker will realize I’m no longer sleeping beside him any second now, but for now I shut off the gas and make my way toward the table.

Putting two seats between us, I drop down into the chair and reach for the butter, only for tattooed fingers to wrap around mine.

My eyes flash up to Damon’s, my heart beating too hard in my chest.

It doesn’t seem to matter how many times I remind my body what an asshole he is, I’m no less attracted to him.

I swallow heavily but don’t move. I barely breathe as I wait for him to make his next move. But it never comes. His hand remains wrapped around mine for long seconds as he stares at me with an intensity that’s always made me forget how to speak.

A door opening behind him breaks the spell, and his touch is gone, leaving me clutching the butter for dear life.

Ryker’s golden eyes settle on mine, and his shoulders drop in relief. I don’t know where he thought I was, but clearly waking up without me worried him.

Without a word, he crosses the room in a few long strides and drops into a crouch in front of me. His long fingers wrap around my throat, holding me in place as he drops a brutal kiss to my lips.

A soft moan slips out because this is the kind of morning kiss I can get around.

“New rule, Siren. Wake me up if you’re going to get out of bed without me, I just about had a heart attack when I reached for you and was met by Ronan’s hairy chest.”

I scoff at the visual he’s painting. “I didn’t want to wake you up. You need the extra sleep.”

“I need to know you’re safe more than I need sleep, or food, or air, Chloe. Can you just do this for me, please?”

How am I supposed to deny him when he says things like that?

I nod once, leaning forward to press a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Nothing’s going to happen to me, Ry. But if it makes you feel better, I’ll wake you up if I’m not going to come back to bed.”

“That’s not what I said.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m not waking you up if I’m just getting up to pee.”

“Yes, you are.”

“You are unbelievably overprotective,” I sigh.

“That’s what happens when you get yourself kidnapped twice.”

I can’t really argue with that, so I drop another kiss to his lips and slip out of the chair.

“You have these pancakes, and I’ll put some more on. I made way too much batter, so there’s plenty for everyone.”

His hands wrap around my waist, depositing me back into the chair I was in just moments ago. “I’ll make the rest, Siren.”

He’s gone before I can argue, but the stupid smile that tugs at my lips stays there through every bite of my pancakes.

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

DAMON

THEN

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO

He’s late again.

For the third time this week, Ronan’s late to training with our father, and frustration rolls off me in waves.