Page 20 of Midnight Salvation

“Some land deeds and a few documents that would make some players on the Council very nervous,” he replied. “They’re probably what got your family killed, and I have no intention of letting you join them. I’d rather burn them and then no one can have them.”

“Do you know what?” Jordan almost shouted. “I don’t even want to know. Fuck this shit, I’ve had enough!” He threw his arms in the air and stormed out of the room.

“Problem?” Ash said. He’d arrived home and I fought the urge to throw myself into his arms. He looked exhausted, his tie loose at his neck, but in that black suit, Ash was enough to make my mouth dry since all my moisture was currently in my panties.

“Xavier was just confessing that he removed some of the items from safety deposit boxes to keep Cassandra safe.” I kept the details scant, but there was no masking the fact that he’d lied to his closest friends.

Ash’s eyebrows flew up and his gaze moved to Xavier. “Is there a reason you don’t trust us?” he asked in his normal reasonable tone. “Especially since we’ve put our own lives on the line several times to protect Cas?”

Xavier sunk into the seat beside Cassandra. “I’m not proud of my actions, but I was doing my best in the middle of chaos.”

“That’s not even half an excuse,” Ash replied, his hands landing on his lean hips. “If we can’t trust each other, who can we trust?”

He didn’t wait for Xavier to reply before he turned and followed Jordan.

“Great,” Xavier muttered. “Now I have two friends pissed at me.”

“How would you feel if one of them had done what you did?” I asked. “What if an item you removed was the clue that solved this entire mess?”

I left my cousin looking miserable and wandered to my room.

Strong arms wrapped around my waist and pinned me to the wall, as soft lips trailed down my throat. I smiled and leaned back into Ash, my head arching to give him access.

“You’re home,” I whispered.

“Miss me?”

“You have no idea.” I slowly turned in the circle of his arms to face him. “Everything okay?”

“Apparently not,” Ash replied. “Considering that Xavier has been lying to us.”

I stood on my tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his lips. “I’ll kiss it better.”

He stared fearlessly into my eyes. “Maybe it’s not my lips that are hurt.”

My finger traced down his chest. “Where does it hurt?”

His lips curved in the sexiest smile that made me want to sink to my knees right now. “As much as I would love your lips to work their magic, I need to sort this mess out. Then I’m getting you the fuck out of here.”

“Where are we going?” I gave into temptation and leaned my entire body against his and set my chin on his chest.

“London for a few days, and then I’ll sort it after that. Maybe Switzerland.”

Anywhere with him sounded perfect.

His fingertips under my chin tipped my head up, and his gaze bored into mine. I almost moaned when his lips pressed gentle kisses until my hands gripped his shirt. Those lips were designed by the devil because they stole every thought from my head and made me a slave to their promises. He deepened our kiss until all that was left was a world of sensation as I clung to him. The only place I belonged was right here. Ash had devastated my world until it lay in ruins at my feet. He was the new home that existed in my life, the anchor that grounded me in this storm.

His hand cupped my cheek, his thumb under my chin commanding me. I willingly gave myself to him, my tongue sliding against his until I was drowning and he was my only lifeline.

When he finally drew back, we were both breathing heavily. His thumb skimmed over my swollen bottom lip. “Whatever happens tonight, you are going nowhere without me. Understand?”

I slowly nodded, trepidation curling deep in my stomach.

“I need to speak to Jordan and then we’ll sort out this shitstorm of Xavier’s. Pack our stuff, Angel. We need to be ready to go in a heartbeat.”

“You’re scaring me,” I whispered.

Ash pressed our foreheads together. “This is all that matters. I don’t give a fuck about anything else.”

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