Page 43 of Cardinal House
“I did,” he nods, smoothing his thumb beneath my eye, dragging it upwards to trace the healing scrape along the side of my head.
“That feels like a really long time,” I whisper, an ache in my voice that bleeds need, but he doesn’t scold me for it, or for the way my fingers find his forearms, my hands circling around his muscles like cuffs.
“It’ll go quick,” he promises, “I’ll bring something nice home for dinner, yeah?”
My knees dig into the cold earth as I squirm, squeezing his arms tighter, “With them?”
Wolf’s black brows draw together, creasing his forehead, “They’re good, Luna. Nice, protective, safe. You liked my brothers when you met them before. You’ll like them again,” he says with full confidence. “I will never endanger you. Haisley is going to be my sister. I've spent a lot of time with her, she’s a good girl, Luna. You’ll see.”
It’s as though hackles ripple their way down my spine, tearing up the back of my neck. I go stiff, like the rotted corpses six feet below me. Jealousy surging up and blooming in my chest. My fingers carve into his flesh, his skin filling the undersides of my nails, the bones aching with my tight grip, but I don’t let go and he doesn’t so much as flinch.
“There are so many differences between you two,” Wolf says plainly, and I can feel the still tired muscles in my arms shaking. “The most important one,” he brushes a single strand of hair away from my face, dipping his own closer, “is that you are my girl.” And then he kisses me.
Wolf drops down onto his knees in the grass as I lift up on mine. Our teeth smashing together, my hands clawing at his arms, grating his skin. His big hand closes over the back of my neck, my hands releasing him to bite at his shoulders instead. He guides my head with that hand, his thumb and fingers squeezing tightly over the bones, his other hand clamped over my waist, fingertips flexing their hold over my ribs.
The hot heat of his sweat-slicked skin seeps into mine, the sun beating down on us, our chests flush together. I only have a thin, black, spaghetti-strap top on, no bra beneath, and it’s almost like we’re naked. Bared to each other, in more ways than one.
Sinking my teeth into his tongue, I bite down hard as he tries to tear it free, his hands tightening and loosening, and then I release him, his blood on my mouth, my teeth, smeared across his lip.
Hands in my lap, I look up at him, his huge frame towering over me, his chest heaving hard. With my thumb, I reach up, smearing the blood from the corner of his mouth up towards his cheek.
The rumble of a car stills us both, this smooth vibration that seems to roll through the earth.
“They’re here,” Wolf says, but he doesn’t look, neither do I, as the car continues past us towards the house. “Be a good girl for me, and I’ll reward you later,” he doesn’t smile at me, but he isn’t really a smiler, though he has, for me.
“I want to come with you,” I whisper again as he pushes to stand, his huge body shadowing me like the dark cloud from before.
He reaches down for me, offering his hand and pulling me to stand, “Not today, Little Moon.”
Chapter 19
Wolf
“How we gunna do this without Archer?” Hunter asks from the backseat of one of Thorne’s many cars.
This one happens to be a more basic blacked out Range Rover, as though it won’t draw us any attention, but I think Thorne’s got a funny idea about things that won’t bring us attention. We’re three very large, broody, intimidating men, it’s not about the vehicle.
Turning around in the front passenger seat, I peer at him, slumped against the window, the glass slicked with condensation, the air conditioning filling the car like ice. “You’re going to work that charm you’ve got, little brother,” I grin at him and he scowls right back.
“I don’t got any charm, you dickhead,” he shoots back.
“We know,” I snort, “but you’ll intimidate, be a prick, and then I’ll swoop in, soothe them with smiles and soft brushes of my fingers and Thorne will analyse the words they spill to see if they’re hiding anything.” A chuckle pops up my throat as I turn back to face forwards, “Just another day, Hunt.”
Hunter blows out a breath, dropping his temple back to the glass, “Whatever.”
When we reach the hospital, Thorne pulls into the first space he sees. The three of us get out of the car and make our way straight through the busy halls, up in the lift, and then we’re spilling out like overdressed mob members into the ward I was kept in while I was here.
I see her straight away, bleached-blonde hair, up-turned nose, fake laugh. Felicity. She’s a bitchy gossip, and she said shit about my girl that I didn’t like, however, she also doesn’t know how to keep her goddamn mouth shut. That’s what I’m relying on today.
Hunter stalks towards her down an empty corridor when I point her out. His long legs carrying him right up to her, one of his big hands drops to the wall beside her head where she leans back against it and he immediately has her attention. Her eyelashes flutter, her head tilts, and I wonder if Hunter’s actually switched on the charm, or the woman just likes moody, psychopathic, arseholes.
Unable to hear what he’s whispering in her ear, Thorne and I hang back, watching other staff members rush around, all of them so busy, no one has time to take note of us. It’s unlikely, if questioned, any of these people could confirm they saw us here today.
“Think he’s choking her out?” I ask, sweeping my gaze to my older brother, his black eyes coming to mine with a raised brow. “Joking,” I shrug, sort of.
“If he is…” Thorne trails off, a heaviness cloaking his eyes. “Go check on him,” he sighs, nudging my arm.
Rolling my eyes, I push off the wall, dropping my crossed arms to my sides, and then Hunter’s barrelling around the corner, a deep set scowl tightening his features.