Page 28 of Kai's Hunger

Chapter Six

Lily

Over a hundred pages into the new romantic suspense and the sixth time I’d yawned. I felt like giving up and turning off the light. Out of curiosity, I picked up my cell phone from the bedside table. The shattered screen made it difficult to see the time in the left-hand corner. Four in the morning. Or was that a five? At any rate, the sun would be coming up soon. Because I’m a glutton for punishment, I tapped on my messaging app. Two from my sister, but I couldn’t make out the words. Probably the usual demands for money.Ah, a voicemail from Mom. This should be fun.I clicked on the voicemail from my mom.

“You let your sister down. You’ve let me down. You can just go to hell!”

“Nice,” I muttered, dropping the phone back onto the nightstand. “Nothing quite like a mother’s love to give you the warm fuzzies.”

A knock at my door jarred me out of my miserable thoughts and I scooted off the bed, then jogged across the room. I started to open the door, but I remembered Kai’s order to lock it behind him and I hesitated. “Who is it?”

“It’s me, Lily,” Kai called back, his voice hoarse.

I yanked on the knob and pulled the door wide. Kai leaned against the door frame, one hand in the front pocket of his jeans. He looked me over, then smiled, the whiskey shade of his eyes darkening. “You look cute in your pajamas.”

Too late I realized what I’d put on and my face heated. “Make fun if you want, but these bad boys are warm.”

“I like them.” He chuckled as he tapped on my thigh. “Especially the mommy bear riding the skateboard.”

His laugh was infectious, and I found myself joining in. “What can I say? They were on sale.”

He pointed behind me. “Did I wake you?”

“No, I was reading still. How did it go? Did you find the people that took Fostine?”

“No sign of them.” He stretched his neck from side to side. “If they’re smart they’ll keep it that way.”

He had dark circles around his eyes and his hair was a disheveled mess. “You look beat.”

“It’s been a long day for both of us, huh?”

“It has.” I covered a yawn, then reached out and placed a hand against his cheek. “Thank you for letting me know you were back. I would’ve worried.”

Kai leaned toward me, his eyes dark with intent. My breath caught in my throat as I felt the pull of his presence. “You know what I think, Lily?” he whispered, his voice sending shivers down my spine.

“W-What?” I stammered, my heart pounding in my chest.

“I think if I don’t kiss you, I’ll die,” he murmured as he closed the gap between us and pressed his lips to mine.

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