Page 73 of Deadly Cravings

“Why are you being so nice to me?”

I grunted in response. I didn’t even know the answer. “You’re a good fuck.” She stiffened and slowly dropped her arms from where they clutched me.

“What are you doing?” The forceful, demanding question slipped free.

“I’m going to go shower,” she said without inflection in her tone. My fingers twitched to return her to my lap. I didn’t want to let her go.

“I’ll come with you.”

She coughed out a laugh. “No, I have a feeling it’ll be less shower and more... other stuff if you come with. You know, since all I am is a good fuck.” Her smile remained in place.

I frowned. I didn’t want the space from her. At least when I was a cat, I didn’t cause her unhappiness like I continued doing, but I couldn’t help lashing out at her. It staved off some of the tumultuous emotions in my chest.

“Jax,” she muttered and finally extricated herself when I loosened my grip. She dragged the sheet around her, face red as she peeked at me from the corner of her eye.

The corner of my lip twitched at her shy move. Sweet. As I said. When I was a cat, she strutted around in her panties and bra, like there was no tomorrow.

She disappeared behind the slab of the bathroom door, and I peered around, taking in the space.

The metal bedframe seemed close to collapse and the mattress was relatively good, other than the creaky springs. The bedsheets were cotton and the comforter was a cream that was closer to white. Other than the pale lamp on the nightstand beside her bed, that was all there was. She was new to the home, so I wasn’t expecting much, but she didn’t have much. Either she was living the minimalist life, or she didn’t expect to be here long.

My fangs popped out without my prodding. Her leaving wasn’t an option. I pinched the bridge of my nose. The bond was fucking annoying.

Footsteps rasped over the ground, and from the cadence, I knew it was Asher.

The need they had between each other ... I sneered at my brother.

Another emotion I’d never had the displeasure of feeling. I couldn’t bring myself to watch her hurt.

It was a spur of the moment decision I regretted, but I preferred to be the one stuck with the repercussions.

Being close to her was the only way I could relieve the tension to my shoulders. She was on my mind constantly. Iworriedabout her. She was so fragile and breakable.

My concern for her was all a result of this bond—it had to be. Sure, I had been curious before it and slowly flamed to life with the time I spent observing her, but the bond seemed towrench reason out of me. Fortunately, it would be gone as long as I didn’t share my blood with her again. It would fade from her system. Even sooner, if I kept draining her mind-altering blood, which was my plan. Feed from her until I no longer wanted to gather her into my arms.

I pushed off the mattress and reached for my clothing on the ground, tugging them on as Asher strutted in; his head craned to his phone.

The corners of his eyes tensed with the same jealousy battering my insides. When I’d heard his confession to her, I’d been stunned into silence. My brother never allowed his emotions to cloud anything. He was a whoremonger. A proud one. So his genuine emotion rocked me. No, he must be fooling her. He was never one to give himself to anyone, least of all a human.

TWENTY-NINE

catalina

I setthe brown bag of medication on the passenger side as I settled in for the drive home. The pharmacy was fortunately quick when I placed my orders for albuterol. There couldn’t be too many inhalers around.

My engine groaned as I sped out of the parking lot, struggling more than usual to get up to speed. But after the slight grumble of the van, it settled. I eyed the freeway exit leading out of the city. I could make my escape now . . . or yesterday, or the day before that . . . but I’d put my plans on pause, running away could wait, right? I worried my lip.

As wrong as it was, I was addicted to how Jax and Asher dominated my body and I couldn’t stop thinking of the last two nights with them. They were always gone in the morning, leaving me to my guilty conscience and sated body.

Even if they did have someone tailing me while they were in deep slumber, I hadn’t even tried.

I pulled into my driveway and turned the key. The engine hissed as it shut off. I rubbed my palm along the dash. I muttered some appreciation at the inanimate object, then got out of the van and strode to the manor. Based off the purplishhue of the twilight sky darkening by the moment, they should be up.

Maybe we could have something longer between us. Obviously not forever, but the sensuous sex didn’t have to end. I wanted to bring it up to Asher, but I feared his response. Riding it out until he told me it was over sounded better. A coward’s way, but I was fine with that, especially since there had been no mention of what they would do with me now that they had confirmation that Calliope had Ren.

I eyed the upside-down bat knocker staring down at me as I walked inside. They never locked it. The door hardly snicked as I shut it and padded toward the living room.

“Do you know how many enemies you’ve made?” I jerked to a halt at the half-hissed words. Asher sounded so angry. I shuffled from foot to foot. Maybe I should sneak back out. It was obvious I’d walked in on some argument, and I didn’t want to get in the middle of it, but the other side of me was too curious.