Page 63 of Ramshackle
Right here.
In front of Aiden.
While Aiden still has my hand in his.
I panic for all of three seconds before I’m so consumed by Jack’s kiss that I don’t care about anything else.
His kiss melts away my fears, my inhibitions. Every negative thought vanishes until I’m cocooned in his warmth. I moan, my free hand instinctively clutching at his hoodie as I lean into it.
Aiden’s hand tightens on mine, and reality floods back in a rush.
Jackson must sense the change in me because he draws back with a smile. He takes my hand from his hoodie, weaving our fingers together, and then turns to lead us back to the firehouse and the Aston Martin.
I’m waiting for Aiden to drop my other hand, but he merely scowls at Jack over my head and meets his stride until I’m centered between them.
It’s confusing and unexpected, but having them on either side of me brings a wave of warmth and fluttering to my chest.
I risk a glance in Aiden’s direction. Our eyes connect for seconds that stalls the air in my lungs before he turns his head to stare at the woods around us instead.
“You’re so easy to please, little one,” Jackson whispers. He’s bent over to keep his words between us, his heated breath tickling my ear. “The others just can’t get out of their own way to see it.”
His gaze darts to Aiden and then back to me, and my face burns.
Chapter eighteen
Raegan
“Why are you inher bed? You were supposed to keep an eye on her overnight. It was your shift.”
“I did. No one’s going to touch her if I’m wrapped around her,” Kellan drawls groggily and yawns.
There’s a long pause, and I’m tempted to crack an eye open to witness whatever expression is on Aiden’s face, but decide against it. I doubt I’ll be able to read it anyway, and my eyelids are heavy with sleep.
“Get up. It’s already past noon and you’re still in bed,” he demands, switching tactics.
“I’m just continuing my shift. She and Jack are still sleeping, so I may as well, too.” Kellan curls around my back. I can feel his grin spread against my head. “Don’t be jealous.”
“Why would I be jealous? You’ve wasted half of your day in bed.”
“Jealous that she would let me, no,invite meinto her bed.”
Aiden’s voice softens to a deadly croon. “Don’t mistake your wants with mine.”
My chest tightens. I don’t know why I thought him holding me yesterday meant anything.
I should know better by now than to believe I mean anything like that to Aiden.
Even if it did mean something, it doesn’t change what he did to me. That he locked me up, threatened me, told me repeatedly that he doesn’t trust me while demanding personal information in return.
Kellan snorts, then nuzzles into my hair. My heart somehow aches and burns simultaneously.
“Out. Now.”
“Why are you up?” Kellan grumbles. “Cassandra healed you yesterday, too. Shouldn’t you be sleeping like them?”
“I don’t have time for that. Now that we’re making room for more gifted, I need to stay on top of the progress to make sure it doesn’t fall behind schedule. There’s also the upcoming Guild event to prepare for, adding more safety precautions for job requests which are still coming in, handling food orders, and obtaining more medical supplies for the additional people—”
“Alright, I got it. Geez. You’re making me tired just listening to all of that. Did you even sleep last night?” Silence. Kellan sighs heavily. “Go get some sleep, Aiden. I’m getting up. What do you need me to do?”
