Page 49 of Our Deceptive Heat

Mako turns to me with a smile. “You’re going to love our home.”

I glower at him because I already hate it. I hate it on principle. And I hate their smug faces and the irritating way they just keep deciding what we’re doing. I’m a grown ass woman. I’m sick of jumping to their weird little commands.

The pain streaks through me again, and I decide right then and there that I don’t care. If I don’t have to get on a plane, I will go anywhere.

I close my eyes and try to ignore the thick scents that are filling the car. Coconut threads through it all, subtle, so faint it almost can’t be smelled.

Envy is pressed up against me, his arm against mine. He’s in the middle, Tyr on his other side, Digs is in the front, while Mako drives.

“Were we seen?”

My eyes open, and I turn my head, watching Mako as he frowns.

“Don’t think so, but I’m going to make a run around, just to make sure we don’t lead anyone back home.”

I almost groan and lean back and close my eyes. My body is aching. Have I got a flu?

I fold my arms around myself and let the soft chatter of their voices drag me to a warmer place.

“Ryn? Ryn, baby? Youneed to wake up. We’re here.”

I slowly come to and wonder why Envy’s voice is so soft, so caring. But then I realise I’ve got my face buried in his neck. I’ve crawled halfway into his lap and the car isn’t moving.

I want to move, but it feels so right.

The last time we were like this was that night. I curl my fingers in his shirt and hang on to the material. Don’t let it be a dream. In my dream, he doesn’t regret that night.

“Let's run away from the world and live in a song,” I whisper.

His hand slides down my back. “I believe last time I suggested that you turned me down.”

“Only because you looked so sad when you kissed me.”

That tears the remainder of sleep from me. I let out a groan, part mortification, part pain. We don’t talk of that night, ever.

Envy sighs and carefully lifts me off his chest. He gets out of the car, but I just snuggle into the seats, squeezing my eyes closed. The sun is too bright.

The door opens, and I’m picked up and pulled out of the car.

Movement hurts.

“It hurts,” I whimper.

“You caught a bug. Lots of places on the road to catch bugs. I bet you’ve been staying up all night writing songs and refusing to sleep, too. You aren’t a super soldier, Ryn.”

“Not me,” I whine.

“Sure.”

I can hear the laughter in his voice. He steps up, and then a creaking door is opened, and I smell something fragrant and nice but not offensive.

“Where are we?”

“Digs sends his parents on a continuous stream of holidays, so we’re going to stay here for the next couple of days. It’s his house.”

“Oh. Can I sleep?”

“You don’t want to eat?”

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