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Authors: Annmarie McKenna
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emotional turmoil.
“You and I will talk later.”
“What, you afraid big brother might hear you?” Caelan asked.
“Big brother, my ass,” Eli muttered, turning his gaze on Caelan.
Caelan laughed. “As your Prime—”
“Shut the fuck up.”
“What’d I say?”
“I’m not ready to tell her yet,” Eli ground out beneath his breath. “It’s not like this is the best of places to talk about it.”
Nikki looked from one brother to the other. She felt like she was watching tennis.
“Well, you’ve got to tell her sometime, and you probably shouldn’t do it the way I told Tieran. It got kind of messy.”
“Yeah, fucking your mate for the first time on the countertop can get that way. I think I can handle it, thanks.”
“Boys!”
Silence, finally. Arguing over…what exactly? She had no clue. They may as well have been speaking German for all she could understand.
“Do you guys hear yourselves? Bickering like five-year-olds. Caelan”—Nikki eyed him in the rearview mirror—“what the hell is a Prime? And, Eli, if you’ve got something to tell me, spit it out. Don’t go all pansy-assed on me.”
Neither one spoke and silence reigned yet again. At least both of them had the decency to look contrite. She sighed, knowing from past experiences that Eli wouldn’t talk until he was damn good and ready. Hardheaded…beast.
“Where are we?” Changing the subject seemed a good thing to do. “Nothing looks familiar.”
“We’re going home,” he growled.
Good to know his surly attitude had dissipated. “Hey, if you don’t want me around, by all means, drop me off.” Please God, don’t drop me off.
Eli jerked around. “I’m not even going to dignify that with a response,” he snarled.
Her heart thumped at his behavior before settling back into a more normal rhythm. She wouldn’t let him scare her. Even if the tone did remind her of… Christ, don’t go there, Nikki. Eli was nothing like those men.
Swallowing, Nikki tried for a nonchalant approach. “You certainly don’t sound like you want me around,” she muttered. Great. Now who sounds like a five-year-old? Why don’t you sniffle while you’re at it?
“You’re pushin’ it, Nikki-Raine. Don’t make me come back there and spank your ass, ‘cause I’ll do it, bullet wound or not.”
Her breath lodged in her throat and she had to close her eyes. Imagining his hands anywhere on her body made the folds between her legs slick. If only he’d said shit like this sooner. They could have gotten together before he left on his trip. At least then she’d know where she stood right now. Not that he wasn’t making it abundantly clear where he’d like them to be.
“Do you have any idea what kind of mess you’re in, baby?”
Oh, God, please don’t call me that .
Besides,she knew exactly the kind of shit she was in. She’d seen her friends, seen the carnage and waste of life. The image would forever be burned in her mind. Nikki doubted anything would ever make it go away. Just as nothing had made the incident from eight months ago go away. If anybody wanted to catch this sick bastard, it was her for not being able to do anything to help her friends.
“He’s shot at you twice now, Nikki, I won’t underestimate him again. If I have to lock you in our bedroom until he’s caught to keep you safe, I will.”
A bed sounded wonderful. Her boxers, a tank top, nice soft sheets. She’d sleep for a week. If she ever got to sleep again, anyway. Damn. Nikki ground her palms over her eyes, fighting back the tears threatening to take over.
A strange mewling sound filled the car. She realized a second later she’d made the sound.Safe. That’s all she really wanted. To feel safe for the first time in all these months. Nikki had a hunch only one man could do that for her. Eli. She reached for the scratch on her cheek again. He was right. If anyone could protect her, he could. Her lips still tingled from his earlier kiss. The kiss that
“You and I will talk later.”
“What, you afraid big brother might hear you?” Caelan asked.
“Big brother, my ass,” Eli muttered, turning his gaze on Caelan.
Caelan laughed. “As your Prime—”
“Shut the fuck up.”
“What’d I say?”
“I’m not ready to tell her yet,” Eli ground out beneath his breath. “It’s not like this is the best of places to talk about it.”
Nikki looked from one brother to the other. She felt like she was watching tennis.
“Well, you’ve got to tell her sometime, and you probably shouldn’t do it the way I told Tieran. It got kind of messy.”
“Yeah, fucking your mate for the first time on the countertop can get that way. I think I can handle it, thanks.”
“Boys!”
Silence, finally. Arguing over…what exactly? She had no clue. They may as well have been speaking German for all she could understand.
“Do you guys hear yourselves? Bickering like five-year-olds. Caelan”—Nikki eyed him in the rearview mirror—“what the hell is a Prime? And, Eli, if you’ve got something to tell me, spit it out. Don’t go all pansy-assed on me.”
Neither one spoke and silence reigned yet again. At least both of them had the decency to look contrite. She sighed, knowing from past experiences that Eli wouldn’t talk until he was damn good and ready. Hardheaded…beast.
“Where are we?” Changing the subject seemed a good thing to do. “Nothing looks familiar.”
“We’re going home,” he growled.
Good to know his surly attitude had dissipated. “Hey, if you don’t want me around, by all means, drop me off.” Please God, don’t drop me off.
Eli jerked around. “I’m not even going to dignify that with a response,” he snarled.
Her heart thumped at his behavior before settling back into a more normal rhythm. She wouldn’t let him scare her. Even if the tone did remind her of… Christ, don’t go there, Nikki. Eli was nothing like those men.
Swallowing, Nikki tried for a nonchalant approach. “You certainly don’t sound like you want me around,” she muttered. Great. Now who sounds like a five-year-old? Why don’t you sniffle while you’re at it?
“You’re pushin’ it, Nikki-Raine. Don’t make me come back there and spank your ass, ‘cause I’ll do it, bullet wound or not.”
Her breath lodged in her throat and she had to close her eyes. Imagining his hands anywhere on her body made the folds between her legs slick. If only he’d said shit like this sooner. They could have gotten together before he left on his trip. At least then she’d know where she stood right now. Not that he wasn’t making it abundantly clear where he’d like them to be.
“Do you have any idea what kind of mess you’re in, baby?”
Oh, God, please don’t call me that .
Besides,she knew exactly the kind of shit she was in. She’d seen her friends, seen the carnage and waste of life. The image would forever be burned in her mind. Nikki doubted anything would ever make it go away. Just as nothing had made the incident from eight months ago go away. If anybody wanted to catch this sick bastard, it was her for not being able to do anything to help her friends.
“He’s shot at you twice now, Nikki, I won’t underestimate him again. If I have to lock you in our bedroom until he’s caught to keep you safe, I will.”
A bed sounded wonderful. Her boxers, a tank top, nice soft sheets. She’d sleep for a week. If she ever got to sleep again, anyway. Damn. Nikki ground her palms over her eyes, fighting back the tears threatening to take over.
A strange mewling sound filled the car. She realized a second later she’d made the sound.Safe. That’s all she really wanted. To feel safe for the first time in all these months. Nikki had a hunch only one man could do that for her. Eli. She reached for the scratch on her cheek again. He was right. If anyone could protect her, he could. Her lips still tingled from his earlier kiss. The kiss that
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