Page 28 of Betting Blind

“Surely she doesn’t live here all the time,” Hayden whispers and rifles through the couch cushions and small bookshelf under the TV.

“It looks like this is a safe house.” I open the refrigerator and note the snack foods present. The milk isn’t expired and there’s half-eaten Chinese takeout on the middle shelf. “I have even more questions now.”

“Right or left?” Hayden asks suddenly.

“What?” I turn to find him standing in front of the two doors. “Left. I think it’s the bathroom.”

“Your left or my left?” He quirks an eyebrow at me.

“They’re the same thing, you asshole,” I snap and shoulder passed him. “You have the unfair advantage of being here before.”

“I didn’t know it was hers!” he protests and opens the left door to reveal a bathroom. “And now I definitely know it is,” he says quietly.

The floor is littered with knives, bullets, holsters, and guns. It looks like an armory instead of a bathroom. There’s a pile of black clothes in the corner beside the porcelain toilet and a line of makeup products around the sink. My eyes roam around theroom and narrow in on a flash of red hanging from the back of another door. A red wig.

Red hair. British accent. A hellcat in disguise. ECP is Emelia Coraline Pendleton. The room spins, and I can’t gather my wits enough to even form a coherent sentence. I lose myself, and my knees crash to the tile floor.

“Silas? What happened?” Hayden crouches down in front of me and shakes my shoulder.

I can’t look at him. I can’t tell him that his obsession is my girl. We can’t fight for the same girl. It would ruin us. My chest tightens, and I take a gasping breath. “I’m fine. Check the bedroom,” I whisper and drop my face into my hands.

He stands and opens the door that the wigs are hanging from to reveal another dark room. Moonlight from the window is the only source of light as Hayden leans into the room and looks from left to right. A deep growl echoes through the darkness.

“What was that?” I ask slowly and rise to my feet.

Hayden jumps back and nearly sends me sprawling as a large black mass with wicked fangs saunters into the room. The dog growls and snaps its jaws in our direction, but makes no move to attack. “Jesus!” Hayden mutters and leans forward to brace his hands on his knees. “That was not here the last time I visited.”

The dog steps forward and lets out another terrifying snarl. We both back out slowly with our palms out. “What is that? A shepherd?” I hiss and look over my shoulder, taking note of the distance between us and the front door.

“A hound straight from Hell by the looks of it,” Hayden responds. “Who’s a good dog? Such a pretty dog with pearly whites,” Hayden coos to the beast as it walks us slowly to thedoor. It snaps its jaws again when Hayden moves his hands in its direction.

“Don’t try to pet it!” I nearly shout at him. “You’ll lose a finger!”

“But I want to pet the puppy,” he whines and turns back to the dog. “You’re the bestest puppy aren’t you?” Hayden drops to his haunches and holds out his hand. “How about a belly rub?”

The beast lunges forward with snapping teeth and murder in its eyes. Hayden shouts a protest and jumps to his feet. I push the door open behind us and Hayden dives out, slamming into me and sending us both tumbling down the stairs and sprawling into the dirt.

We land with a hard thump in a cloud of dust. “You are literally the fucking worst,” I cough out from beneath him and jerk to try and dislodge my left leg from between his thighs. My right arm is under his left forearm and his chest is fully pressed against my nose. I inhale and his cologne drifts across my senses. My muscles stiffen as he shuffles to move his arms and remove himself from my face. His eyes find mine as I shift my shoulder, trying to free my arm from where it’s pinned against my side.

“Stop moving,” he growls, and his dark eyes scan my face. “Your head is bleeding.” I shuffle against him, trying to wiggle out, but he presses his hips down against me. “Be. Still,” he whispers harshly and squeezes his eyes shut.

“What’s with the face?” I ask and watch the pained look dance across his features. “I’m the one he doesn’t move. His body is a frozen statue above me.

And then I feel it.

His hips twitch, and I feel his erection against my stomach. I freeze and look around the yard, trying not to look at his face. His cock throbs and I feel my own throb in response. Fuck, this is not happening. Hayden inhales slowly, and I chance a peek at his face. His eyes are still squeezed shut as he breathes slowly in and out through his nose.

I open my mouth to say something, but the words never find a way past my lips. Hayden slowly presses his hips down, grinding his cock against me. My cock pulses against my seam as he repeats the motion and opens his eyes. I break away from his gaze and look down at the space where our bodies are touching.

I feel hot, like a fire is burning me from the inside out. Lust surges in my veins and I fight every instinct in me telling me to push my hips forward. I know that if my cock gets that friction I won’t be able to stop. My chest heaves as I inhale heavily, trying to calm my racing heart.

We agreed this can’t happen. It didn’t happen then and didn’t happen now. We need to get up, dust off, and get the hell out of dodge. “Hayden,” I say roughly and clear my throat of emotion. “I think –”

“Fuck it,” he hisses and surges forward until his lips press against mine. He’s not gentle as he twists his fingers into my hair and pulls on the roots. I gasp at the sudden pain, and he takes that moment to slip his tongue across mine. He drops his full weight onto me and pushes his hips forward. His thigh presses against my aching cock, and I bite back a moan.

My cheeks are on fire and the inferno is slowly traveling down my neck. I don’t know how I have any blood left in my body to blush with how hard my cock is right now. Hayden starts to pull away and break the kiss, but the fingers of myfree hand grip the collar of his shirt and pull his face back to mine for another blistering kiss.

He thrusts his hips against my body slowly, timing it with the movement of his lips on mine. I jerk beneath him and moan as my cock pulses heavily in my pants. Hayden pulls away and topples off of me with a sharp inhale. He sits with his legs bent and his forearms braced on his knees, his face hidden in his hands. “We need to leave.”

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