Page 104 of Thirst
A muscle in his cheek ticked a warning. “Like Hades I don’t.”
I lifted my chin. “We’re nothing to each other. And Perla’s my friend—I have to go.”
“No, you don’t. You can give us all the info we need, and we can get through the damn doors on our own. If this goes sideways, Nazaire will come straight for you.”
“Let him,” I shot back, even though the thought made me a little nauseous. “But nothing will go wrong.”
Cain’s nostrils flared. He slid his fingers into my damp hair and dragged my head back, rough and possessive.
My pulse stuttered.
He gave my hair a little tug. “Even the best-planned ops can go to shit. You're not going, are we clear?”
I licked my lips, and his gaze dropped to my mouth. An electric heat sizzled between us. My tongue felt suddenly thick.
“I’m going,” I managed to say.
His lips came to my throat, sending a shiver sliding over my skin. “No,” he repeated, softer now, almost tender.
“Brien said?—”
“Fuck Brien.” He bit my neck. Not hard. Just enough to let me know he wasn’t pleased with me. “He knows better than to come between a man and his woman.”
Pain shredded my heart. I turned my head away, my cheek against the wall.
“But I’m not your woman,” I said evenly. “And Perla needs me.”
His chest rumbled in displeasure. He straightened from me, taking his warmth with him. “Nyx?—”
I rushed into speech. I didn’t want to hear his excuses—or worse, an apology.
“Please, Cain.” I touched his arm, dropping my defenses. This was more important than me or my pride. “I know that lair—I grew up in it. And Talon’s right—it’s probably a trap. You go in without me, who knows what will happen? You want your friends to end up dead?”
A short, charged silence fell. Then he swore and stepped back. “Come, then, damn you. But you’ll do exactly what I say, understand? No going off-book.”
“Understood,” I told him.
And I did understand. That didn’t mean I wouldn’t improvise if it was the only way to save Perla.
Back in the living room, Cain’s friends looked up, faces questioning.
“She’s coming,” he said, mouth tight.
Brien nodded.
Twilight straightened, her dark eyes met mine. “We’ll get your friend out of there. I promise.”
“Thank you,” I said, voice low.
Cain fished my phone from his pocket. “Should we respond to Nazaire? Or let him stew?”
“Answer him,” I said. “He hates to be ignored. I’m afraid of what he’ll do to Perla if we don’t.” A cold prickle crept over my skin, and I rubbed my upper arms.
“Here.” Cain handed me the phone. “You do it—you know him better than we do.”
“Call him directly,” suggested Brien.
“Yes.” It was the right move, even if the thought of hearing his voice made my stomach twist. But this wasn’t about me.
