Page 13 of Dirty Delivery

Rain lashes against the windows, and the lights flicker once, twice, before plunging the room into darkness. I sit up straighter, my pulse quickening. I’ve never been afraid of storms, but in this house, where every shadow feels like it’s watching, the darkness is unnerving.

I hear the faint creak of the door behind me and twist toward the sound. My breath catches when a beam of light sweeps across the room, illuminating Rylan’s tall frame in the doorway.

“Relax,” he says, stepping inside. His voice is calm, almost teasing. “It’s just me.”

“What happened?” I ask, clutching the blanket tighter around me.

“Power’s out,” he replies, holding up the flashlight. “The generator should kick on soon, but I figured you’d be here.”

I bristle at his tone. “I’m fine. You didn’t need to check on me.”

“You sure about that?” His smirk is maddening, and I glare at him even though my heart stumbles in my chest.

Rylan

She’s trying to act tough, but I can see right through her. The way her shoulders tense and her eyes dart to the shadows gives her away. She doesn’t like the storm—not here, not in this house.

I step closer, the beam of the flashlight bouncing off the walls. She shifts on the couch, sitting up straighter like she’s preparing to fend me off.

“You looked spooked when I walked in,” I say, settling onto the edge of the couch.

“I wasn’t spooked,” she snaps. “Just surprised.”

Her defiance almost makes me smile, but the thunder cracks again, and she flinches, her fingers tightening on the blanket. My smirk fades.

“Come here,” I say softly, lowering the flashlight.

Her eyes narrow. “What?”

“You’re freezing,” I explain, nodding toward the blanket draped over her shoulders. “Come here.”

She hesitates, her gaze locked on mine, but eventually, she scoots closer. When she’s within reach, I drape an arm around her, pulling her against my side. Her body is stiff at first, but as the minutes tick by, she relaxes, leaning into me.

This is a mistake. She’s too close, and I’m losing control. I shouldn’t let this happen, but I can’t seem to pull away.

“Savannah,” I murmur, the sound of her name rough in my throat.

She tilts her head up, her eyes searching mine. For a heartbeat, nothing exists but her—the storm outside fades, and all I can think about is how easy it would be to close the distance between us.

Savannah

The look in his eyes sends a shiver down my spine. It’s too intense, too raw, and it makes my heart pound in a way that has nothing to do with fear.

But it’s dangerous. He’s dangerous.

I shift, breaking the moment, and his arm falls away. “I . . . I should go to bed,” I say, my voice shaky.

Rylan leans back, his face unreadable. “Yeah. You should.”

I stand, clutching the blanket like it’s the only thing keeping me grounded. As I step past him, I feel his eyes on me, the weight of his gaze lingering long after I leave the room.

In the safety of the hallway, I pause and exhale shakily. My heart races, and I don’t know if it’s because of the storm or the man I just left behind.

Probably the man.

“Goodnight,” I whisper to no one, my voice steadying as I retreat down the darkened corridor.

Chapter Twelve

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