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When Nic’s aura flairs angrily and threatens to smother my upbeat cheer, I throw a scowl in the direction of the backseat before immediately turning back to grace Ezra with a sweet smile as he gets in. I don’t think Ezra could ever piss me off. Everything about him just makes me feel…free. I can do whatever, say whatever, and he is forever calm and accepting.
After starting the truck, his hand immediately moves to my thigh, his thumb stroking small delicate paths, so devastatingly loving that it sends goosebumps across my skin even through my jeans. I don’t know what it is about a man holding onto a woman’s thigh while he’s driving, but I won’t question it. I fucking love it.
“Where to, Squeaks?” His deep, gravelly voice rumbles straight to my core as I try my best to scoot as close to him as possible, which is disappointedly not that close because of the middle console. Seriously, who designed this shit? It’s like theywantto keep horny people apart while traveling in a moving, metal death trap. What a travesty.
“To the library, Brick!” I lean my head on his bicep as he immediately takes off without a word or question. Not that it stops the other two from voicing their obvious lack of faith.
“Why the fuck would we go to the library?” The disdain in Nic’s voice is as clear as the torturous pain vibrating from his direction.
“How’s that hangover goin’ there, drunky?” I snipe, rubbing my face against Ezra’s arm as I breathe in his pure masculine scent. That shit is…intoxicating. I can’t even place what it is. Soap? Aftershave? Cologne? I don’t fucking know anything other than it makes those butterflies in my stomach do somersaults.
“Would you stop sniffing Grayson and just tell us?!” Nic’s aura flashes and I simply grin before pressing a kiss to Ezra’s hard as a boulder bicep. I kind of just want to take a damn bite with how tantalizing my giant warrior is. His hand tightens on my thigh in reaction and my hands twitch with the need to explore further, but another curse from Nic stops me from doing just that.
“Don’t be jealous, baby. If you were as nice as Ezra, I’d kiss you too!” I tease as Kai snorts out a laugh before grumbling in pain from his own hangover. Points to him for not being an ass, my poor suffering goofball. “As for why we’re going to the library, isn’t it obvious?”
“If it were, I wouldn’t be asking, would I?” Every word that leaves his mouth sounds forced through his teeth. I sigh. I should stop trying to push him so much. Maybe.
“Well, we all know from my vision that the piece of metal my stalker deems important is from the car wreck that took my sight, correct?” I don’t wait for a response before continuing, my hand trailing up and down Ezra’s arms in feather light strokes. “Then wouldn’t it make sense to go check the archives and reports from said accident at the place that keeps record of that sort of thing, especially since we no longer have access to the department?”
“I’m a little surprised that you don’t have all that stuff from back then, given how obsessed you are with holding onto everything from all the cases you’ve solved and all.” Kai’s aura is purely curious and not at all accusing and I love him for it.
Nope. That’s not what I meant. Notthat.
Just…you know…damn it! That’s just not what I meant.
“Honestly, I was still just a kid. Aside from the fact that I was struggling to adapt to blind life, I had just lost my dad. I wasn’t really concerned with any of thewhyorhow, I just wanted it to be over. I barely even remember the months following it. It made me sick everytime anyone talked about it.”
“Oh. Shit. Sorry.” Poor Kai is now flooded with sorrow and I instantly want to console him. How fucked up isthat?
“Don’t be. It was a long time ago.” I do my best to turn my head and shoot him a comforting smile without releasing Ezra’s arm from captivity. “Anyways, yeah. I thought that might be a good place to start. If my stalker had that piece of metal, maybe he’s somehow connected to the crash or something. We have no other promising leads other than to just start tailing Alan and see if he really is wrapped up in all this shit. Which, if I’m being honest, I’m afraid to do. Because, what if he really is? It’d kill me. I’d rather just keep him at arm's length to be safe, but hope for the best.”
Wow. Seriously? What has gotten into me? Since when did I talk so much or reveal my inner thoughts or feelings without any prompting? These guys are truly fucking with my head. While I might be willing to enjoy it while it lasts and let them near me, I never intended to let themin. Yet, here I am, opening right the fuck up and spouting shit that doesn’t need to be said.
And, like the stubborn, little–albeit sexy as fuck–weasels they are, they wormed their way under my skin and straight into whatever dead space exists within my chest cavity, making themselves right at home. I don’t exactly have a heart, that thing withered and died as a shrunken, beaten husk years ago. But that empty space where they’re staying somehow seems…warmer than ever before.
Which is as scary as a room full of creepy clowns. Maybe more so.
When this is all said and done, they’ll leave. I know they will. I said it before, and I’ll say it again. Everyone leaves. When they inevitably do…well, I’m not sure I can surviveanotherheartbreak, or whatever it is that happens when you have no heart left.
A soul break, maybe? At this point, they won’t just destroy whatever is in there that pumps blood through my body and keeps me alive. They’ll eviscerate the very essence that makes me who I am. There will be nothing left in me–ofme–when they’re finished.
Nobody should hold that much power.
I need to be careful. I need to stop this before it gets to that point. Right? That’s surely the smart thing to do. It’s what I would normally do.
Then why, when I logically know the danger and could easily prevent it, do I find myself snuggling further into Ezra’s arm and holding him tighter? Is it too late? Am I already doomed?
“Earth to Wicked!” Kai’s rough, timber voice pierces through my inner turmoil and my lips pull up into a small smile in response to his teasing tone. “I said we’re here! What are you thinking about so hard?”
I notice that Nic’s aura is outside the truck, pulsing frantically with caution and irritation, while I’m sitting and staring off into space and snuggling Ezra’s arm. Who, by the way, has patiently let me do so without interruption. Unlike Kai.
“Whoops. Sorry. Lost in thought!” I reluctantly pull away from Ezra and hightail it out of the truck as Kai cackles behind me. Shutting the door behind me, I notice why Nic is acting so weird. Gizmo and Snitch are surrounding him, their little auras seemingly delighted, as they snap at his feet while he dances to avoid them.
“Izabella! Get your damn ver-babies away from me!” He growls out the words, refraining from calling them vermin like he did the other day. Which, he learned quickly, is a good way to get raccoon shit in your high dollar leather shoes while you’re sleeping.
They’re good boys.
“Ah, come on! They’re just having a bit of fun!” I giggle as he practically squeals like a girl when Snitch surprise attacks him from behind while he is focused on a growling Gizmo.
