AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I cling to him, kissing him back just as desperately. It tastes like everything that he’s shut off between us since the night I fucked all three of them, and when he wedges a thick thigh between my legs and starts to take me apart with his dominance, I let myself forget—just for a moment—that this is it.
But then it’s over. We break apart and he stares down at me in silence for a moment, then sighs, his hand gentling around my throat.
“Butterfly…”
He breathes the nickname he gave me what feels like forever ago, gazing down at me like he’s trying to discern something in my expression. Or maybe he’s just trying to memorize my face, since there’s a good chance he’ll never see it again after today.
I bite my lip, holding in words that there’s no point in saying now. Not unless he’s about to ask me to stay.
But of course he doesn’t. It’s like he just needed to say my nickname to say goodbye.
“Riley?”
It’s Chloe this time, calling to me from our bedroom, and Maddoc drops his hand, his face shutting down again.
“I’ll see you downstairs,” he says, turning and leaving without another word.
I touch my lips, then turn and go to Chloe. “Got everything ready?”
She nods, but she’s tugging on her hair like she’s nervous. “I think so.”
I force a smile. “Don’t worry. If we’ve forgotten anything, I guess we can just buy it now, you know?”
She laughs, shaking her head. “That’s crazy. But yeah, I guess? Do you really think they’re going to just… just give you the money like that?”
I shrug. “I guess so.”
Chloe’s laughter dies, and she gives me a serious look. “Nothing is ever that easy.”
I go to her and kiss her forehead. “I know, but it will be fine. I trust these guys.”
Chloe looks deep into my eyes, then gives me a tentative smile. “Okay. Let’s go, then.”
We grab our bags and head downstairs, handing them over to Dante as he and Maddoc coordinate logistics with some of the Reapers they’ve called in to escort us. Dante takes everything to the Escalade and Maddoc gives Chloe and I a brief acknowledgment before stepping outside with a couple gang members I recognize but don’t remember the names of. Logan is busy preparing coffee in a couple of to-go mugs that, knowing him, are probably for me and Chloe.
He hasn’t looked at us since we’ve come down, and the way he’s shutting me out reminds me so much of my first few days in this house that it makes my chest hurt. I’ve seen behind the blank mask he so often wears, and even though I get that it’s a way to protect himself, after what we’ve shared, seeing it back in place like this just drives home the fact that whatever I found here with the three of them is over now.
Chloe looks back and forth between the two of us, and whatever she sees on my face puts a look of sympathy on hers.
Logan finishes doctoring the mugs and turns to hand them to us. “You can drink these on the drive over to the attorney’s office,” he says flatly. “There isn’t time for a full breakfast.”
“That’s fine,” I say, knowing my stomach is too twisted up to worry about food anyway. I take the mug he’s holding out to me, but instead of taking hers, Chloe backs away.
“I, um, I think I might have left something upstairs,” she blurts, scampering out of the room. “I’ll meet you in the car!”
Logan stares after her, unblinking.
I move in front of him, forcing him to look at me. “Logan?”
He finally blinks. “We should go.”
I put my hand on his chest, stopping him. “Thank you.”
He nods stiffly, his eyes skipping over mine and settling on the travel mug he gave me.
I laugh softly, shaking my head. “Not for the coffee.” I bite my lip for a moment, not sure what I want to say but definitely wanting to get through to him that… that hemattersto me. “You’re not the monster you think you are,” I finally whisper. “Or if you are, you’re one I’m lucky to have known.”
His blank mask finally slips, just for a moment, and his heart rate ticks up under my palm. But before he can say anything Maddoc comes back inside, his face grim. “Time to go.”
