Page 14 of Eight of Swords, Part Two

Lachlan sighs roughly. ‘Being away from here helps you remember.’

‘I don’t care.’

‘Your life before—’

‘Is of no interest to me,’ Kade informs him, having far too much fun at this point as cold energy trickles down his spine, refreshing his spite. ‘You wanna make camp in memory lane, go for it. Some of us live in the present. I’m gonna run drills today,’ he informs Riley, who tongues his cheek, trying to bury the smile. For some reason, it makes Kade feel so fucking good about himself, like Riley’s approval of his bratting, when it’s usually met with a resigned sigh at best, is rebuilding his sense of self brick by brick. ‘I’ll look into security upgrades so no more fuck-ass weirdos can break in.’

Riley glances at Lachlan, still caught in the smile despite himself.

For a moment, Kade catches something warm in Riley’s gaze and immediately dislikes it. He needs to know it isn’t reciprocated, but when he looks at Lachlan, dark grey eyes are already waiting for him, holding him fast with the patient certainty of a man outside mortality.

There it is.

That weird gut twist of sugary feelings climbing to spread bittersweet euphoria like the fingertips of dying fireworks, brief, lovely and blinding.

Lachlan’s hair is loose today.

It’s almost black when wet. Dark stubble shades his jaw and mouth, handsome even when visibly irritated. The curvature of his muscles shows through the damp fabric of the tee, his wrist tendons jumping as his fingers flex and unflex. He’s dangerous, worn and alluring.

And really fucking annoying.

‘Sorry your field trip isn’t happening, but bring me back a souvenir.’

Riley snorts despite himself.

The boss of Iron Star is wearing black jeans, cowboy boots and the same leather jacket as always. ‘There you go, Tanner. Now take a hike.’

‘Fuck you, Little Harker. He doesn’t—’

Kade punches Lachlan in the face.

‘Don’t call him that. He already asked nicely.’

Lachlan spits blood, a sigh rattling in his throat.

He seems to be counting to three in his head.

‘I’m sorry for last night. I was freaking out and I was…’

‘Mean!’ Kade fills in when he trails off. ‘You were mean. My life is turning inside out, and you were a fucking dick! I’m trying my best to come to terms with so much crazy shit, and you ran away to sulk!’

‘I always do the wrong thing with you.’

Kade rolls his eyes. ‘I could care less about your guilt complex.’

‘Couldn’t care less,’ Riley corrects right on schedule.

‘Listen, I spoke with Blaire last night.’

‘Oh?’

‘She told me you gave her the book.’

‘I did.’

‘Did it trigger anything, seeing her?’

‘Like what?’