Page 30 of Winter’s Teeth

Of course...

“And you show your favor with a kiss before you’re permitted to untie them.”

I rolled my eyes heavenward. “You’re either making all this up, or this tradition was so convoluted on purpose so that no one was ever rescued.”

Arthur smirked at me cooly, admitting nothing.

With pinched brows, I asked, “Even if I save one, what about all the others?” I would call the police on him and lead the cops right back to this place, but I feared Arthur would sooner toss the rest into the river before letting anyone interfere with his screwed-up traditions.

Arthur continued to stare, but he slunk backward into the shadows, deciding he was done being helpful.

Lovely.

I didn’t have a clue what to do next, and a dozen hostile men were waiting for me to make the wrong move. Luckily, Corbin spoke up. “Don’t worry about us, Rae. We all have someone coming for us. My girlfriend will come, but Fox—”

“Shut up,” Fox snapped darkly.

Corbin kept going, not frightened by his cousin’s bite. “Well, it’s true! You don’t have anyone coming for you.”

Fox turned his head aside, teeth grit and violently grinding together.

My chest eased a bit knowing there were others looking out for the poor young men traumatized by their supposed flesh and blood. “Good,” I said on a weary exhale.

My gaze cut to Fox, and Fox continued staring furiously at the ground like he wanted to beat it up once his hands were untied. I hobbled closer, and he stiffened in protest. “Considering I don’t doubt Arthur will toss you in the river again, and I would have to jump in to save you—”

“You don’t have to do anything,” Fox griped.

I dropped to my knees in front of him and pinched his chin, sharply pulling his face up. “Shut up and just let me get this over with.”

He was mid retort, lips pursed in my hand when my mouth closed over his.

Chapter 14

Warm... So warm...

Heat radiated off Fox, hotter than the fire I was tempted to stick my ice cube fingers into to get a little feeling back. His lips were softer than expected—a stark contrast to the barbed pain rushing all over my body from the cold and exhaustion.

Though I had gone in for the kiss swiftly, I pulled back slowly, reluctant to give up the heat and tender embrace of his lips.

When was the last time I had a kiss? Damn...

Every other kiss I ever had seemed like hazy, forgettable dreams, and the kiss I shared with Fox was the vivid sort of fever dream I would remember for years to come.

For a heartbeat, his eyes were soft, full of liquid warmth and glittering confusion. His lips remained parted, still stuck in the heat of the kiss as he stared at me.

I stared back, tethered to that look in his eyes that took me straight back to when we were pressed together in the back seat of my car, trying to pull him away from the brink of death.

The sound of rope snapping drew me out of the daze, and I stood as one of the cousins cut Fox’s binds at the base of the tree. “Guess you’re free to go,” the man said, then glanced up to wink what I could have sworn was a gold eye at me.

I blinked, backing away on stiff limbs.

Despite the cavalierness of the wink, I didn’t find similar nonchalance around me. Hard glares and disappointed looks cut through me everywhere I turned. All the amusement was gone from their wicked eyes, and it suddenly seemed like I had played right into their trap.

Fox gripped me by the elbow as soon as he was up. “Walk,” he grunted forcefully.

I let him push me, eager to get away, but I couldn’t help but glance pitifully back at Corbin and the others. “What about—”

Fox dug his fingers into my arm, his nails biting through the fabric of my coat. “They’ll be fine,” he growled. “Keep walking.”