Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

Lucas

“ Fuck! ” I see Wyn’s eyes roll back a second before Wyn faints, but by the time I react, it’s already too late, and she’s on the ground.

I shove through the group of people, who aren’t doing shit. They just look at Wyn, and then at each other like fucking idiots—no one brave enough to jump in and help her.

Thankfully, the impact was softened when Gabriel reached out on reflex as she started to fall. Even Gabriel is looking down at her, like what the fuck just happened?

I kneel next to her, moving her slightly to try and wake her up. Fuck . With everything that’s happened, she probably hasn’t been eating well enough, and her blood sugar is probably low. I blame myself for that. She’s my consort, and at the end of the day, I’m responsible for her. I should have made sure she was eating properly.

Her eyes are closed, her brows pinched together as she moves her head slightly to the side. A wave of relief washes over me, and I glance up at Ms. Martelle. “Do you have juice, or candy or anything?”

She looks flustered. “I have some soda in the fridge.”

I nod and make a motion for her to bring it to me. While I’m waiting, I smooth the hair out of Wyn’s face, my fingertip brushing over her flushed cheek.

Ms. Martelle shoves a can of cold lemon-lime soda in my face. Popping it open, I help Wyn up, so she can take a sip, but she shakes her head, and tries to push the can away.

“Drink,” I command. I don’t give a fuck who is listening, she’s not going to push me away. Not now.

With a scowl, she does as instructed, taking a big gulp before pushing the can away again. “I’m fine,” she says, struggling to get up. I help her back onto her feet while everyone else watches silently. “It’s been a crazy day,” she says with an embarrassed laugh.

“You poor thing,” Ms. Martelle says without a hint of emotion in her voice.

I still have my hand on the small of her back. Afraid she’s going to topple over gain. “I’m taking you home.”

She shakes her head. “I’m okay.”

“That wasn’t a question, Wyn.”

Gabriel reaches out for her, threading his fingers through hers. “I can take her home,” he says, and there’s a thread of possessiveness in his tone that makes my jaw clench.

“No.” I’m not compromising on this. “You stay, enjoy your homecoming. Wyn clearly needs some rest.”

My eyes meet hers, and I can tell she wants to argue. The only thing preventing her is the group of people surrounding us. She doesn’t want to argue in front of them, which is wise. I’ll win, even if that means throwing her over my shoulder and carrying her out of here.

She flashes a smile at Gabriel. “Enjoy yourself. Don’t worry about me.”

Gabriel’s gaze flicks to me, and there’s a warning there. Is he suspicious of what’s been going on between Wyn and me? I haven’t told him she’s my consort yet—after Wyn and I left the beach, I waited for Gabriel at the police station, then we came straight here. I haven’t exactly had the opportunity to tell him yet. And if I’m being honest, I dread having to.

“I’m just dropping her off,” I say.

Releasing her hand, his gaze shifts back to her. “Get some rest, baby. I might be a while. After this, I need to go buy a new phone.”

She nods and flashes him a tight smile. Gabriel leans forward and pulls me into a bro hug. “Thanks for lookin’ out, Cuz. I owe you one. You coming back after you drop her off? I think we’re ordering pizza.”

“Yeah, maybe,” I hedge. “I need to check in at Rush House and see what the guys are up to. They’ll want to see you, so we’ll probably head back over together.”

Gabriel smiles and slaps me on the shoulder. “Tight.” He points to Wyn. “Take care of my girl.”

Goddamn fucking shit.

Guilt follows me like a specter as Wyn follows me through the cavernous house, and out to the driveway where I have my car parked. I open the passenger side door and wait until she gets in before shutting it and walking around to the driver’s side.

The second I get in, I regret my decision to take her home. I should have had someone else do it. Her scent fills the small space, and I’m already on fucking edge.

She’s looking straight ahead. “That was shitty of you.”

I start the engine, and pull out of the driveway, onto the main road toward her apartment. “What was shitty of me?”

“Telling me what to do like that, in front of everyone.” She pushes out a breath, still not looking at me. “I’m a grown-ass woman, you know. I’m capable of making my own decisions.”

Right. Sure.

“You want to tell me why you fainted again?” I say, glancing at her. “Have you been eating?”

“It’s been a crazy day,” she repeats.

I glance at the road, then back at her. “Don’t lie to me, Wyn.”

There’s a long stretch of silence before she says, “It was…a panic attack.”

My arm is slung over the steering wheel, and we’re stopped at a red light. I look over at her, my gaze scanning her face. “Why were you panicking?”

Her eyes flick up, meeting mine, before falling to her lap quickly. “All of this… everything that’s happening…it’s…” She pushes a breath out. “...I don’t know.”

“Say it, Wyn. Why are you anxious?”

She shakes her head and looks up at the road ahead. “It’s just a lot, Lucas, and I’m not sure how I’m supposed to feel about any of it.”

We pull up to her apartment, and I kill the engine, turning to face her. “I know it’s a lot, but Gabriel needs you right now. We can sort everything else out later.”

It fucking kills me to say that, and it shouldn’t. She was never mine. Not really. I fooled myself for a while, but the truth is, I was living in a fucking fantasy.

She looks at me. “Are you coming in?”

I blink at her. She hates me—as she probably should—so her question surprises me. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I say. “I’ll have some food delivered. Make sure you eat it.”

She shrugs and opens the car door. “No promises.”

The passenger door slams, and she walks up to her front door. Fucking-A . I know she just said that shit to irritate me, but fuck, it worked, because I’m already parked, and walking up the walkway behind her.

As she’s unlocking her brand-new door. “The door is nice. Way better than my last one.” She turns her head and flashes me a smug smile. “I thought you weren’t coming in.”

I cross my arms over my chest. “I’m just coming in to make sure you eat, then I’m gone.”

Pushing the door open, she goes inside, and I step in after her, shutting and locking the door behind us. She tosses her keys aside, and I sit on the edge of her bed while she flits around the apartment, doing whatever.

I reach into my pocket and pull out the necklace I just found at Gabriel’s mom’s place. As everyone was fawning over Gabriel in the kitchen, my eye wandered to an open banker’s box. Sitting on top was a decorative bowl, and inside that bowl was a necklace that looked familiar. I grabbed it and put it in my pocket.

But looking at it now…yeah, I’ve definitely seen something like this before. On August Pendleton. It’s the same thick chain link style necklace, secured with a small silver padlock.

“What’s that?” Wyn asks, plucking the heavy necklace from my hand.

“I found it at Gabriel’s mom’s place,” I answer.

“Oh, yeah, I remember Gabriel wearing this a couple of times before he went missing. I’ve never really looked at it, though.” She inspects the padlock, squinting at something written on the face of it. “ In shadows, we trust. In silence, we rule ," she reads out loud. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

It means Gabriel’s connection to Shadow and Ash goes much deeper than I initially thought.

“No idea,” I lie, taking the necklace from her. I shove it back into my pocket. “I just thought it was strange. It’s probably nothing.”

She lifts a suspicious brow, but doesn’t ask questions, thank God. Instead, she starts pulling her dress off, the fabric sliding down her waist and over her shapely ass before pooling on the floor.

I rake a hand over my face and push out a heavy breath. “What the fuck, Wyn?”

“I need to take a shower,” she says coyly, like a goddamn siren. She’s turned away, not wearing a bra, with only a scrap of thin material covering a sliver of her perfect, peach-shaped ass.

She glances at me from over her shoulder and smiles. “I thought you were ordering food.”

For fuck’s sake.

This chick is playing me like a goddamn fiddle. What’s worse is I know that and I'm still powerless to stop it. Stepping toward her, I grab her arm and turn her around, so she’s facing me.

Her perfect tits bounce with the motion, and I swear to God, I start salivating. My cock is already swollen, straining against the zipper of my jeans. My grip tightens around her arm. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Wyn.”

Her gaze turns dark. “Why? I belong to your cousin, right? Isn’t that what you’ve decided?”

I release her arm like I’ve been burned and I take a step back. Fuck this. I know what she’s doing, and I won’t be manipulated.

“You’ve fought me tooth and nail over the past few weeks, Wyn. And now, what, all of a sudden you want me to fuck you?” I motion to her. “I mean, that’s what this is, right?”

Hooking her thumbs on the waistband of her panties, she pulls the thin fabric down the curve of her hips, past those luscious thighs. When they puddle around her ankles, she steps out of them. “I’m not asking you to do anything, Lucas. I’m taking a shower.”

My gaze wanders over her body—her perky tits, her flat stomach, the sexy-as-fuck flare of her hips, before finally landing on the patch of delicate curls between her thighs. I can already smell her heat, and it stirs a frenzy inside me.

Just one last taste.

Just one.

Then I can walk away.

I’m an addict, and Wyn is my drug. I know that logically, but knowing doesn’t make any difference. My body’s reaction to her is deep-seated. Primal. I need to taste her like I need my next breath.

Curling my hands into fists, I take another step back. The only thing stopping me is the guilt that pops up onto my shoulder, like an old friend.

Take care of my girl.

Pursing her lips, Wyn shrugs and turns on her heel toward the bathroom. She leaves the door open to taunt me as she starts the water for the shower, then steps inside the tub, pulling the curtain only half closed.

I can still see her, which was exactly her intention, I’m sure. I watch her, riveted, as the water cascades over her face, and down her body.

Wyn isn’t the first girl to try and tempt me. It happens a lot, actually, but I usually ignore it. Naked chicks are a dime-a-dozen in my world. But I can usually walk away. It’s the chase I crave, and once that’s fulfilled, I’m out. I’m moving on.

So, why, then, am I fucking rooted to the spot? Why can’t I walk away from Wyn?

That question circles inside my head, even as I tear my shirt off, followed quickly by the rest of my clothes. Anger burns inside me, mounting with every step I take toward the bathroom.

As I pull the curtain back, Wyn gasps before her gaze falls to my cock. “What are you doing?”

My hand darts out, and I grab her by the throat, rage pulsing through me. I step into the tub and shove her roughly against the tile. “Shut the fuck up,” I bite out, tightening my grip.

Fear flashes in her eyes, and seeing it makes my heart beat a little faster. How dare she manipulate me. She thinks she’s so clever, orchestrating this, but I’ll teach her to be careful what she wishes for…