Page 68 of Burn of Obsidian

“Who else knew you were meeting?” Jax asked, heat radiating from his skin.

“No one.” Thea swallowed. “He was messaging me, telling me where to go… but he was already dead.”

“Someone knew you were meeting him.”

“That’s impossible. No one knows who I am.”

Jax sank his hand into her hair, tilting her head slightly to the side. His nose continued to nuzzle her throat, only pulling back so he could meet her gaze.

“Thea,” he said her name in his deliciously low rasp. “If they’d known I was there, they’d have sent more than a single hound and Skull.”

It took a moment to understand what he was saying. “It’s just a piece of paper.”

“A document that can reveal the first offering. Gideon already has the chalice, and now it’s confirmed he’s hunting the pages needed to unlock its secrets.”

Jax’s skin was clammy, heat radiating as if he had a fever.

“I’m sorry if my beast scared you.” Cheekbones cut sharp beneath his skin, his tone paler, highlighting his scar.

Thea gripped the fabric around her breasts tighter. “Thunder needs to be taught some basic etiquette skills, but I wasn’t scared.”

Jax cocked his head. “Your pulse is telling me differently.”

“Well then, you’re clearly delusional.” She licked along her bottom lip, and Jax’s eyes darkened. “Thunder and I are best friends.”

Ruhne rubbed his wings together. “I thought I was your best friend?”

“You said you didn’t want to be my friend yesterday?”

“Well, that’s before I had competition.” Ruhne crossed his arms, gaze flicking between them. “You look like shit, by the way.”

Thea scrunched her nose. “Rude.”

“Not you.” Ruhne pressed his bare foot into one of the bloody spots on the carpet. “Okay, you look like shit, too. But mainly him.”

Jax finally stepped back, putting on the T-shirt before grabbing his boots. “Stay here.”

“Excuse me?”

His lips were pressed into a thin line when he stood. “Don’t leave until I get back.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realise I was under house arrest,” she said. “If I want to leave my own bloody – ”

She didn’t see him move. He was standing by her bed, and then she was pushed back against the wall. His larger body curved around hers, palms planted each side of her head. He said nothing, his breath hot as he simply stood there, rigid. His chest heaved, and Thea didn’t know what to do. His anger was vivid, and she wasn’t sure whether it was Thunder’s influence that had him on the edge, or he’d finally removed that stick up his arse.

Dipping his head closer, his lips parted, and Thea felt her own breathing pick up. A man should not have such wickedly sinful lips. She wanted to feel them, to see whether the skin of his scar was as rough as she’d imagined.

“Jax,” she whispered, his gaze an intensity that electrified the air between them. Thea thought about what it must take to remain so constantly in control of himself. And what would happen if he released the reins a little.

“Little thief, I need you to be a good girl and stay here.” His words, said with such delicious authority, had her lower stomach pulsing with need.

Yes, she was aware her mental health was clearly compromised, because she was going to do something she didn’t think she’d ever do. She was going to kiss the man with an emotional spectrum of a shoelace.

“Careful,” he warned, as if he could read her mind. “Don’t do something you’ll regret.”

“Stop giving me unsolicited advice.” Decision made, she slotted her lips across his. There was a second where he didn’t reciprocate, his body as solid as marble over hers. But then she felt it, as if something inside him snapped.

Thea moaned, reaching up to grip his T-shirt, teasing him with little flicks of her tongue that only made him kiss her like a violent savage. Her head knocked against the wall, the pain forgotten in an instant as he reached beneath her thighs and lifted. She hummed her pleasure against his lips, her fingers moving to wrap in his hair. His stubble scratched at her, another sensation that was driving her to the edge of sanity. He kissed like a man possessed, devouring her from the inside out. And fuck if she wasn’t into it.