Page 101 of What We Burn

Rosa nods, and Fury heads straight for the back door.

I follow.

The alley’s narrow, dumpsters and cracked pavement. The last time we were out here was the first time I got my mouth on her. The first time I made her come.

Pleasant memories for an unpleasant location.

Fury is pacing, hands in her hair, frustration rolling off her in waves.

“You can’t just barge in and play bodyguard every time someone looks at me funny,” she snaps, whirling on me. “I’m not helpless, Knox. I have the knife. I can handle myself.”

“Know you can.” I step closer. “Doesn’t mean I won’t step in.”

“That’s the problem.” She jabs a finger at my chest. “You all treat me like I’m breakable. Like I need saving every five minutes. I understood your surveillance in the beginning. And I understand why you’re protective now. But I’m not some damsel⁠—”

“Never said you were.”

“No, you just acted like it. In front of the whole diner. On my first day back.” Her voice cracks, and the anger shifts to something rawer underneath. “You know how hard I had to fight to be here. Two days of arguing with five of you just so I could pour coffee and take orders. And the second someone says something, you come in and take over like I can’t—” She presses her palms against her eyes. “I need to be able to do this. I need one thing that’s mine.”

I don’t move for a long moment. Just stand there, watching her breathe, hands over her face, shoulders tight. She’s right and we both know it. The guy was nothing. A creep with bad timing who happened to fit the description of the guy who left the rope. And I treated him like a threat because treating everything like a threat is easier than admitting I can’t control what happens to her.

“You’re right,” I say.

Her hands drop. She stares at me like I’ve just spoken in tongues.

“I overreacted. I won’t apologize for watching. But I will apologize for jumping in too soon.”

The corner of her mouth twitches. “So you’ll stay in the truck next time?”

I snort. “I’m not making promises I can’t keep.”

“Then will you at least wait until I signal for help before storming in?”

“Don’t push it, Fury.”

She opens her mouth to argue, but I cut her off with a kiss—hard, claiming, my hands fisted in her hair to make sure she doesn’t slip away. She fights me for a half-second, stubborn as always, then her hands clutch my shirt and she groans into my mouth, the anger draining out of her in one hot rush.

I don’t let up. I press her harder into the bricks, kiss her until she stops being mad and starts being something else. When I finally pull back, she’s pissed and flushed and breathing hard.

“You’re not listening to me,” she whispers.

“I am. I’m just not agreeing with you.”

She shoves at my chest, but I don’t budge. “You’re infuriating.”

“That’s what you like about me.” I lean in and kiss her again, sliding a hand down to cup her breast, thumb rolling her nipple through her uniform. She arches, moaning softly.

“Knox. Fuck. What are you doing?”

“Need you.”

“I’m mad at you.”

“I know. But I bet you’re wet for me too.” I drop to my knees, shove her dress up to her hips, and yank her panties to the side, my mouth finding her pussy. “Fuck, Fury. You’re dripping.”

“Of course I am. Have you met you?”

I tongue her slow, savoring the taste and heat, coaxing the moan I know by heart. She braces herself with both hands on my head, nails digging into my scalp as she bucks against my face, gasps turning to cries, the alley throwing every sound she makes back at us.