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32
Mercy
Steppingout into the mansion’s yard, I couldn’t help tipping my face to the sun and simply basking in it for a moment. Its warmth seeped right through my skin to mingle with the triumphant glow already lighting me up from the inside.
I’d been through hell and back over the past few weeks, but this was a new beginning. This morning, Wylder had all but pledged his allegiance to my crusade. It wouldn’t be much longer before we had Colt on his knees and I’d see justice done for the way he’d torn apart my life and so many others.
Footsteps rustled through the grass behind me. Kaige came to a stop at my side, glancing up at the sun for a second before looking at me, his smile more relaxed than I’d seen in the past couple of days. I’d tensed up at the sight of him, but his easygoing attitude reassured me.
“I hear you’ve officially joined the team,” he said.
“That’s one way of putting it. I have the Wylder Noble stamp of approval, anyway.”
“If you’ve got his approval, you have all of ours too.”
Would Gideon and Rowan have said the same? I guessed they kind of had to. What Wylder said was the law for them, regardless of their personal feelings.
Kaige cracked his knuckles. “So, when do we get started delivering our brand of justice to that jackass ex of yours?”
I couldn’t hold back a laugh. “As soon as possible, if I have anything to say about it. I noticed the man in charge got in this morning—I assume Wylder needs to run the basics by him first.”
Mentioning Ezra Noble created a brief but awkward silence. Kaige seemed to struggle to figure out what to say, which was a little ominous. “I’m sure once the old man hears the whole story, he’ll be on board.” He rolled his shoulders and switched quickly to a different subject. “I was actually wondering if you were up for a workout. I don’t know about you, but I have a lot of built-up tension after all the craziness we’ve dealt with lately.”
I cocked my head at him, unable to stop the images of him leaning over me on the hood of his car, plunging inside me, from crowding my head. To my annoyance, my voice came out slightly breathy. “What kind of workout did you have in mind?”
Kaige’s gaze seemed to linger on my lips. Then he yanked it up to meet my eyes. His tone came out sly. “Oh, just a power jog around the block. There’s a path that winds around the backs of the yards up here, so we don’t have to bother going up and down the hill or through downtown. Want to join me? I mean, unless you’d rather something more—”
“No, that sounds perfect,” I cut in. The bastard, getting me riled up for fun. Two could play that game. “But why don’t we make it competitive.”
He arched an eyebrow. “How so?”
I tapped my lips, letting the movement draw his attention back to my mouth. “First one to make it three rounds wins.”
“You think you can take me on, huh? And what does the winner get?”
I shrugged. “Whatever they want. Winner’s choice. Wherever their… urges take them.”
Heat flared in Kaige’s eyes. “In that case, I’mdefinitelygoing to win.”
“We’ll see about that.” I glanced down at my jeans, which were comfy but not made for running. “Give me a second to change into something more appropriate.”
“But I like it when you’re inappropriate,” Kaige called after me as I jogged back toward the house.
I held up my hand with my middle finger raised, and his laughter brought a smile to my own lips. I already felt better, looser, than I had in days, even with the lingering twinges from the bruises I’d gotten during last night’s fight.
Once I’d swapped my jeans for more flexible sweatpants, I found Kaige waiting for me in front of the house, stretching his legs. My gaze might have roved over the muscular planes of his thighs for a bit longer than was totally polite before I met his eyes again.
“Ready?” he asked with a grin.
I tossed back my ponytail. “Of course I’m ready. First one to tag in at the front steps three times wins. But you’d better prepare to lose.”
“You’ll have to catch me first.” He took off without another word.
Cursing half-heartedly at his back, I took off after him. Kaige was strong, but a little top-heavy. His legs weren’tthatmuch longer than mine, and my parkour practice had given me a lot of training in speed. I followed close at his heels, trailing right behind him as he swerved at the end of the street onto the packed dirt path he’d mentioned. It looped around past the fences of the grand properties along the top of the hill, just like he’d said.
Perfect.
We tapped the front steps the first time just seconds apart, but on the second loop, Kaige started to pull farther ahead. Flat-out endurance wasn’t my forte, and he’d obviously jogged this route thousands of times in the past. I loped along behind him at a steady pace, my heart thumping in an enjoyable rhythm, sweat trickling down my back. My brain shut down and let my body take over completely.
