Page 8 of Midnight Hunt

When we reached my car, though, I finally put my foot down. “I’m driving.”

Griff opened the driver door for me without comment.

Pleased, I climbed inside my purple ride and started her up. As Griff placed my suitcase in the back and claimed the front passenger seat, Kolton said through my open window, “No detours, Vi. Head straight home. Call me if you think you’re being followed.”

“I will.”

“I won’t let anything happen to her, Kol. You have my word,” Griff said as he shut his door. “She won’t leave my sight for a second.”

Sensing yet another dig at Reid, I pursed my lips. The minute the coast was clear, Griff and I were going to havewords.

As we exited the parking garage, I opened my mouth to give him a piece of my mind. Before I could, a plastic bag rattled. I glanced over just as Griff pulled out the lacy little nothings I’d purchased a few hours ago.

“Griff!” I swiped at the lingerie and missed.

“A present forme?” he gushed, holding the apparel just out of reach. “You shouldn’t have.”

“It’s not for you, dummy.”

“Well, it was onmyseat.”

“I . . . Just give it to me, will you?”

Not surprisingly, he ignored me. Now that it was just us two, he was back to his usual obnoxious self. If there was an olympic medal for teasing, Griffin O’Neal would win gold every time.

Humming, he inspected the lingerie more closely before saying, “I like the strappy purple one best. You can see right through it. Which one do you like, Sable?”

“GRIFF!” I barked. “Don’t you two dare team up on me right now. I’m not in the mood. Besides, this is totally inappropriate.”

Sable snickered, clearly amused.

“I bet Reid the Steed hasn’t seen these yet.”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but, no, he hasn’t.”

“What a shame.”

At his sarcastic tone, I threw a sideways glare at him. “I thought you liked Reid.”

“I do.”

“Then what’s with the verbal jabs and the nickname? You always give the guys in my life lame nicknames when you start disliking them.”

Shrugging, he tucked the lingerie back into the bag. “Okay, fine. I’m pissed he wasn’t there when you were attacked.”

I blew out a frustrated sigh. “We’ve already been over this. It wasmydecision to leave the stadium without him.”

“I know, but . . .”

When he didn’t finish, I glanced at him again. “But what?”

“But,” he slowly said, fisting the bag in his lap, “I should have been there for you.”

I opened my mouth, only to snap it shut. Oh. He wasn’t really mad at Reid, then. He was mad athimselffor not being here.

“Griff . . .” Unsure what to say, I closed my mouth again.

Silence settled between us. After several moments, he quietly said, “You scared the hell out of me with that phone call, Vi.”

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