Page 37 of Midnight of Ashes
He bent down, taking my mouth in a slow kiss.
When he pulled back, it was to find that the rest of the guys were watching us. Knox had a look of sheer joy on his face. Cillian, smug pride. Easton, longing maybe? It was covered so quickly that I couldn’t be sure. But Maddox wore rage again, so much that it hurt my skin.
I quickly looked away. “We should go.”
I started walking. The guys surrounded me, Cillian leading the way.
As we entered the house, Fionn walked forward to greet us. He extended a hand to Cillian, holding a drink in the other. “And here I was, starting to worry that you’d run away with our little dragon.”
Cillian’s jaw hardened as he shook Fionn’s hand. “We’d never go against the council’s wishes.”
Fionn chuckled, low and rich. “Why do I find that hard to believe?” He glanced at me. “May I take your jacket, Hayden?”
“I’ve got it,” Knox hurried to say, sliding the coat off my shoulders and handing it to a staff member who had miraculously appeared.
Fionn’s gaze swept over me, mischief in his dark eyes. “Come this way. Everyone’s through here.”
He led us into a massive formal living room that had been transformed for the occasion. Whatever furniture that had been in the space was removed and replaced with sporadically placed tall cocktail tables, and a bar was set up against the far wall.
The moment I stepped into the space, I felt eyes on me. So many it had me wanting to shrink back and hide. But I squared my shoulders, summoning every ounce of bravery I had.
But that bravery died the moment a familiar face stepped into view.
The reddish-brown hair and dead eyes had my stomach twisting as Hal Corbett sneered at Easton. “I’m surprised you and your brother are here. Everyone knows your line isn’t cut out for a mate. You could end up murdering everyone around you.”
I sucked in a sharp breath as Knox moved toward his brother, knowing his move before Easton even made it. But it was too late.
Easton lunged.
19
HAYDEN
Thankfully, Cáel was quicker, catching hold of Easton’s suit jacket and jerking him back. “Don’t.”
Hal laughed, but there was an ugly twist to the sound. “So touchy.”
“You’ll get what’s coming to you, Corbett,” Easton spat, his breathing ragged.
Hal’s eyes narrowed. “Is that a threat on neutral territory?”
Shit. Shit. Shit. This was bad. So very bad. If one of my bond made a move in violence, the council might have cause to remove me from their protection.
I darted forward, slipping my arm through Easton’s and gazing up at him. “Can you take me outside for a moment? I’m feeling a little flushed.”
Easton was so shocked by my presence and touch that it seemed to steal the edge of his anger.
I squeezed his arm. “Please?”
“Sure,” he muttered.
I tugged him quickly toward a hallway as people muttered behind us. I had no idea where I was going, but I hoped I could find a way to a backyard or something. A waiter pulled up short as he saw us.
“Backyard?” I asked.
The waiter nodded quickly. “There’s a patio. Make a right at the end of the hall.”
“Thank you.” But I didn’t stop. I worried if I did, Easton might head back and deck Hal Corbett.
