Page 83 of Ravage
Jackson emerges from the low-profile car. His hood is up, but I can still feel his gaze on me before he answers Kellan. “Stole it.” He shrugs like it’s no big deal. “He wasn’t using it, and I don’t have a car.”
He steps around the door while Kellan is busy cackling and taking a seat behind the wheel. Jack pushes his hood back and stops in front of me. My breath stalls at the intensity of his blue eyes as they run over me from head to toe. Then they flick over to the trashed car and his body tenses.
His exposed fingertips flex and reach for something under his hoodie, and I grab his arm to stop him.
I don’t know what he’s about to do, but it can’t be anything good with the look in his eyes. “I’m fine,” I rush out. “I don’t even have a scratch on me.”
“What happened?” His tone is relaxed, almost sounding bored, but I know from his body language that he’s anything but that. Does Kellan even realize how pissed Jackson is right now?
“We were chased by the cops, and we were going to hide out here, but the brakes weren’t working. Kellan shielded me.”
Jackson’s hand collars my nape and he pulls my forehead to his. “Reckless as always,” he murmurs; a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
A huff of laughter escapes me. “Guess so.”
He inhales deeply, and I jump back.
Shit. Do I smell like sex? Would he know? Does it matter if he knows?
My chest clenches, and yes, it matters.
He holds his hand out to me, and I stare at it like it might strike out at me. He waits there with endless patience for me to take it. Like there’s no doubt in his mind that I will.
It’s that confidence that has me reaching for it. Because when he has zero doubts about it, how can I?
His hand wraps around mine and he tugs me next to him, then his fingers split mine apart until we’re holding hands. My heart somersaults in my chest and then burns at my selfishness. Without another word, he walks us over to the car he brought that Kellan’s still pawing at.
“Get out. I’m taking her back to her apartment.”
Kellan’s head pops up and his brow furrows. “And what am I? Chopped liver?”
Jackson slips his free hand into his hoodie pocket and tilts his head while still smiling at Kell. “You made this mess. You can clean it up.”
How easily I forget that Jackson’s just as much of an asshole as the others. He just never directs it toward me.
Kell stands, and his height forces Jackson to angle his face up to maintain eye contact. He’s definitely the tallest of the bunch and at least three inches taller than Jackson. Which says a lot about me, considering I have to look up to see Jackson.
Jack’s gaze moves down Kellan like he’s cataloging every detail and piecing things together. He’s always been exceedingly observant, and I know that he sees evidence of what happened between Kell and I.
My hand squeezes his, and he turns to look at me without hesitation.
“Jack, he literally broke his body to save mine. I won’t leave him here.”
“All right,” he concedes smoothly, then his smile sharpens into a smirk, and he presses a kiss against my cheek. Kellan growls behind him, and I swallow roughly.
I’m in so much fucking trouble.
This is why I should have just kept sex to a nameless stranger at the club.
Would it have been as mind-blowing as what I had with Kellan? Absolutely not.
But what the fuck am I supposed to do with this?
I sigh when Jackson pulls away and Kellan doesn’t stop glaring at him. Time to put on my big girl panties. “Enough with whatever the two of you think is going on here.” I pull my hand away from Jack’s and walk around the car to the passenger seat. “I’ll make one thing perfectly clear. I don’t belong to anyone.”
I shut my door and am pleased when the other two pile in without another word. Jackson climbs behind the driver’s seat in the back and Kellan takes point, as expected, being the street racer.
The ride to the club is quiet, save for Kellan touching every possible button in the car like a kid in a candy shop.
