Chapter 33

Chapter Thirty-Three

ZANE

Freaking Grace Elizabeth Jamieson.

For all the crap she talks about being older than me and how wrong we are because she's my teacher, you'd think that'd mean she'd make better freaking choices.

I slide my fingers into the pocket of my sweatpants. It doesn't hide how I'm shaking all over.

"It's really not that bad," Grey says.

"When?" I grit out.

"What?"

"When did you meet him?"

She winces. My voice is a little too loud. A little too harsh.

I know that.

I know .

I'm trying to rein it in, but I can't rope back my fury.

Hall breaking my wrist is one thing. But I will never forget seeing him drag Grey down the stairs with the intent to force himself on her. I stained Redwood's pavement with his blood that night. If that scum of the earth called out my wife, he crossed a line. Theodore Hall will pay for even breathing in Grey's direction. I need to make sure there's not a drop of blood left in his cold, dead body.

"After I left you. He called while I was in the taxi. But I didn't go without backup. I told Cadence where I was?—"

"Cadence knew?" My voice is compact, a trained whisper. But like a jack-in-the-box, one spring and it'll blow the roof off the penthouse.

Grey gulps. Her eyes dart away, a classic sign of dishonesty. "No, she didn't know. I meant, I intended to tell her…"

I stomp around to my phone.

My twin doesn't pick up. The phone goes to voicemail.

If I know Dutch, he's probably blowing Cadence's back out.

Too bad.

I keep calling.

"Zane, what are you doing? You're not going to make this a big deal, are you?" Grey lifts those sultry brown eyes my way, poison-tipped lips arching into a nervous smile. "Forget I said anything about Hall."

Voicemail again.

I slam my fingers on the numbers on screen and call Dutch again, the ringing tone matching the pounding in my head.

My wife slips her lean arms around my waist. Her tits unconsciously rub against me.

"It's been a really long day. Lots of secrets shared. Lots of weird discoveries," Grey says in a patient, measured voice that would work on a toddler in the middle of a temper tantrum.

And maybe that's what she sees me as.

A toddler with a big mouth.

Maybe that's why she didn't call me and instead went face-to-face against a snake like Hall with a little slip of a girl like Cadey as back up.

"How about you and I go to sleep? Hm?" She tugs on my T-shirt sleeve. "I'll even let you take half of the bed?—"

I grab her by the wrists and slam her into the wall, not hard enough to hurt but enough to make a point. Dropping my hold on her heated skin, I slam my hand on the plaster and cage her in. I'm not touching her, but my eyes on hers are a warning.

She thinks I want half the freaking bed? Every instinct in me is demanding I take her so hard and fast she cries my name over and over again. Hell, my pants are so stiff, I probably wouldn't be able to last the few steps to the bed. I'd just rip her shorts to her ankles and give her a taste of this all-consuming craving she's awakened in my body. There'd probably be a dent in the wall by the time I'm through with her.

"Don't tease me right now unless you want me to screw you while I'm angry."

A challenge flares in her eyes and oh, I want her to do it.

I want her to test me. To push me. Part those pretty lips for me and see how I fill them.

My expression shifts when I hear the line connect and Grey instantly snaps her mouth shut.

"You better be dead or dying," Dutch bites out, breathing hard. In the background, my sister-in-law is panting like a dog in need of water.

"I'm calling a band meeting. Now."

"The hell you are."

"Get off my sister-in-law and meet me in the conference room."

"Zane, you better?—"

"Hall called out my wife today. Grey went to meet him. She told Cadence, who went to check on them. Alone."

There's a frigid silence on Dutch's end of the line.

Grey smacks her forehead.

Finally, Dutch says, "Give us thirty minutes."

Before the line goes dead, I hear my twin warn his wife, "Tonight's reward just turned into a punishment, Cadey…"

"My gosh, Zane. You're totally overreacting." Grey slaps my arm down and stomps away from me, smoke blowing out of her ears.

I start to follow her when the bathroom door slams shut. The lock clicks loudly, punctuating the silence.

My steps crawl to a halt.

I see my wife does know how to protect herself from monsters.

She just can't tell which monsters are loyal to her and which are out for blood.