Page 241 of Stay Scared

Owen says something I cannot hear because Ash slides his hand into my hair and kisses me harder, his body pressing into mine with enough hunger to explain why he used attorneys instead of showing up at my apartment.

If Ash had arrived like this, six weeks would never have happened.

I pull back first. He follows a fraction of a second later, then catches himself, his eyes staying on my mouth.

“That is what I get?”

“For now.”

His hand shifts lower along my spine. “Unacceptable.”

“There he is.”

Cade steps in. “Move.”

Ash looks at him. “No, I won’t.”

Owen exhales. “Six weeks and we made it in approximately twelve minutes.”

“I am impressed.”

Nobody laughs.

Cade reaches for me, and Ash’s grip tightens.

Cade sees it immediately.

The corridor becomes dangerous very quickly, the old rivalry suddenly more personal than anything Rook manufactured. I put one hand against Cade’s chest before he reaches Ash, and he stops beneath my palm.

Owen moves behind me and touches the back of my shoulder.

Cade sees that too.

“You’re both making this worse.”

“Correct,” Owen says.

Ash looks over my head. “You do not get to be pleased.”

“I am rarely pleased.”

“That is unfortunately true.”

I laugh, and the sound takes enough of the edge off that nobody bleeds.

Cade looks down at me and closes his hand around my waist again. Ash keeps his hand at the back of my neck while Owen stays behind me, close enough that his chest touches my shoulder when I breathe.

I am surrounded.

Six weeks ago, that would have felt like the beginning of a trap. Tonight it feels exactly as dangerous as I remember.

I came anyway.

Ash’s mouth brushes my cheek. “You still haven’t told me why you’re here.”

I look at him, then Cade, as Owen’s hand slides lower along my back.

“I missed you.”